The Approaching Night
by PEANUT v1.2
Summary: If you can survive the darkness of the approaching night, you can make it to tomorrow and have a fresh start. The dark of night can not conquer you when you have your sight set on the light of a new day.  Riku/OC and SoKai
1. Chapter 1: Normality

Chapter One: Normality

I rolled over on my bed that morning, trying to savor my last few moments of sleep. Even though I was already awake, I still clung to the idea of rest, where I could just be still and comfortable without worrying about anything else going on in the outside world. Mornings were just so peaceful, and I wanted it to last as long as possible.

"Stephanie Hope, get your butt down here!"

I sighed, pushing myself up and forcing my soft blue eyes open. So much for peace. I turned my head to look at my clock, seeing that it was already 8:39 A.M. Wait, 8:39? I was gonna be late for work!

"You're going to be late for work!" my mom hollered from downstairs. _Yeah, I know Mom. Thanks for telling me. _

I jumped out of bed and went into the bathroom, hurriedly undressing and taking a four minute shower. I worked as a cashier on a street shop, so I was sure the customers would appreciate it if I didn't smell bad. When I felt as if I was squeaky clean, I put on my work uniform—a teal blue polo and tan shorts that went well with my tan flip-flops. Upon inspecting myself in the mirror, I realized that I didn't look too bad for just waking up. Still, my wet, shoulder-length brown hair was going to be a problem. I grabbed a pony-tail holder and threw it up as I hurried downstairs, going into the kitchen where my mother was staring at me.

"I know, I know," I said, moving past her and grabbing a poptart. "I should be more responsible, not sleep in so late, set my alarm, blah blah blah. You'll have to give me a lecture later. Bye Mom!" I exited the front door, leaving her gawking. She didn't like it when I acted so bold, but I didn't have a choice now. Not if I wanted to be on time to work, anyway.

I ran down the sloped path, noticing that the streets were pretty empty. And they should have been; it was too early in the morning for anybody sane to be out. _It's summer vacation, for goodness' sake,_ I thought, sighing as I approached the store. _I'm 17. I should be asleep right now, not opening some shop that hardly ever is visited! _

Every morning I woke up to open the shop, I thought through those same things. But it didn't matter what I thought; I needed the money, and it was an easy job. All I had to do was keep inventory, work as a cashier, and not scare off customers. Not a bad deal, right?

I finished lifting the cover that had been over the front of the shop, opening my view to the outside world from my spot in the tiny shop. Scanning over it all, I didn't see anything unusual. Only a few locals who went running every morning, the stray dog that always came over and begged for food (which I hardly ever had), and the sun shining down over the marketplace.

I sighed, sitting down on my stool behind the counter.

Just a normal day in Twilight Town.

That was what frustrated me more than anything else. Because my life was so normal, I knew exactly how the rest of my day would play out. I would work a few hours, then eat lunch at 12:30, work till 4, and then check around to see if any of my friends wanted to hang out. Most of the time, they were already at the beach, and it was too late for me to go join them. So I went home, listened to my mom's nagging, and then listened to music until I fell asleep.

And then the next day, the same routine. Gosh, why did life have to be so mundane?

I set my elbow on the counter in front of me, lifting a hand and setting my cheek on it as I watched the boring town in front of me. I supposed that in some ways, a boring life was good. You rarely ever went through hardships. Sure, the boredom made people spread rumors and create drama, but compared to other troubles, I was willing to deal with that.

The seconds turned to minutes, and then the minutes to hours as my lunch time approached. It was an especially slow day, and I think I had only about fifteen customers in the past three hours. There wasn't much use for the items I sold, unless you were planning on doing something stupid or getting yourself into trouble. I sell potions, ethers, and tents. Every once in a while, everyone would stock up on their supplies, just in case of an emergency. Heartless appeared in our town, so it was good to be well equipped.

Sometimes, though, it was hard not to laugh at some of the customers. They looked panicky and shaky and ordered twenty potions at a time, saying that they could never be over prepared for Heartless. Personally, I didn't see the point of stocking up that much. Encounters were rare, and most people only saw them once or twice a week. And if they did, then it was only one or two at a time. There wasn't much of a threat if you knew how to defend yourself, and most of the town was able to do just that. Some did it with the sword and some did it with magic.

Me? I do a little bit of both. I have a broadsword that I can summon whenever I need it, but most of the time, I rely on spells. I don't like resorting to violence, but I know how to defend myself.

Surprisingly, the last time there was a Heartless uprising, I was called in to help. A group of six boys ranging from the ages of 17 to 25 and I fought off a swarm of Neoshadows while the rest of the town hid in their homes. It was…an honor, in a way, to be a part of that group, especially since I was the only female. But now people call on me to fight their battles for them, and that's just plain annoying sometimes. I'm not an exterminator, after all. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm just a shopkeeper.

I blinked, coming back to a previous thought. Lunch; it was lunch time. I turned around and looked to the ground, where I always sat my bagged lunch. The spot was empty. A groan left my lips, disbelief coming through in my features. I forgot it.

"Hey Sora, go see what armor they have here," a boy said off in the distance, capturing my attention. I looked up and saw two teenagers standing about twenty-five yards away. One of them had spiky brown hair and black clothing that, in all honesty, looked a little weird. The other one, the one who spoke, had long silver hair, blue long pants, and a vest that showed off his well-toned arms.

I looked down a little bit, surprised that I picked up on that detail so quickly. I never looked to see how well built a person was when I first saw them, but that feature was just something that stood out to me. That, and his voice. He sounded serious, but at the same time, he sounded relaxed. It was strange combination, and I couldn't help but listen into their conversation.

"I'm going to the Item shop." _Oh my word; the tall, cute, muscular one is coming to my shop._ I didn't know why, but I was freaking out on the inside. Of course, on the outside, I was calm and composed; I hardly ever showed more emotion than what was necessary.

The silver-haired teen started over, the brunet following him a few steps before he turned his head in the other direction. "Hayner! Hey!" Sora called, lifting a hand and waving it over at a blond kid on the other side of the marketplace. I followed Sora with my eyes, seeing him run off in that direction.

"Sora!"

"I'll catch ya later, Riku," Sora said over his shoulder. "You can handle getting everything, right?"

I turned my gaze to the tall boy, who was apparently named "Riku". It was strange name, but it suited him, in some weird way. I saw him scoff, but he didn't protest against his friend running off. Instead, he walked over to my shop, stopping in front of the counter.

"He sure is easily distracted," he muttered, obviously displeased.

I shrugged softly, looking up at the boy who was probably half a foot taller than I was. "Sometimes, distractions can be good though," I said. "I mean, being focused and so serious is unhealthy sometimes."

Riku's facial expression changed, expressing surprise. But then it subtly faded to a calmer look, the teen nodding. "Yeah, I guess you have a point," he said, his seriousness fading a little as his displeasure disappeared. "Still, I wish he wasn't such a kid sometimes."

"How old are you guys?" I asked, genuinely curious. Judging by Riku's demeanor and size, he seemed older than his friend.

"Sora's 16," Riku told me. "I'm a year older than he is; 17. Almost 18, though."

I smiled softly at the response; Sora was actually younger than I previously thought, as was Riku. "I would have guessed you were older," I said honestly. "You just seem…mature, I guess."

"Yeah, well, sometimes you're forced to grow up before you're an adult," Riku said seriously, his expression turning grave. He looked me in the eye for a minute before shaking his head, the harder expression fading away as he stuck out his hand. "I'm Riku."

I reached out my hand and grabbed his, looking into his aquamarine eyes as I shook his hand. "Stephanie."

"Stephanie, huh?" he said, shaking my hand firmly. Over the years, I learned you can tell a lot about a person through their handshake. Judging by his secure grip and how he held my eyes the whole time, Riku was a very confident person.

"You can just call me Steph, though," I said, pulling back my hand when Riku did. There weren't many people around that called me by my full name, and I was glad for that. It just didn't suit my personality, so I preferred my nickname.

My stomach growled at that moment, rather loudly. I blushed and lowered my gaze, in disbelief at the bad timing.

"Or I could just call you 'hungry,'" Riku said teasingly, a smirk appearing on his lips.

"Ha ha," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I looked back at the teen in front of me. I was surprised at his joke; Riku had come across as somebody who didn't joke around a lot. But apparently my impression was incorrect.

"You hungry?" he asked, tilting his head as his smirk started to fade away.

"Starving," I confessed, setting a hand on my stomach. "I forgot to pack a lunch today."

Riku turned his head to the side, looking over at a hotdog stand across the marketplace. "I'll be right back," he said, a smile appearing on his lips before he ran off in that direction.

"You don't have to-" I started, though it was too late. He was already heading over toward the food stand. I kept my eyes on him, trying to figure him out. At first he had seemed really serious about something, but now he was running off to buy food for a stranger? _This Riku guy is a curious fellow,_ I decided, seeing him purchasing some food_. I wonder who he is._

Riku came back with a burger in each hand, approaching my tiny little shop quickly. "Here you go," he said, holding out one of them for me to take.

A grateful smile appeared on my lips as I reached forward, taking the burger and the plate out of Riku's grasp. "Thanks," I said, my eyes flickering back up to his. "You didn't have to do that, though."

He shrugged it off, using a hand to motion to the burger he had for himself. "I was hungry anyway," he informed me. "So it would have been awful of me to get food for myself and then eat it right in front of you," he said, a smirk appearing on his lips.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Yeah, that would have been torture," I said in agreement. I felt as if my stomach were about to growl again, so I picked up my burger and started eating, seeing Riku do the same out of the corner of my eye. It was strange; we just met, but we both seemed pretty at ease. _I mean, I like making conversation with customers, but somehow, this feels different. _I shoved it off, knowing that I was over analyzing this. After all, it would doubtful I would ever see Riku again.

"So Steph," Riku said, initiating a conversation when he wasn't eating his food. "Do I get a discount on whatever I buy because I bought you lunch?"

I lifted my gaze up to him, surprise in my gaze. But when I saw that he was smirking, I realized that he was joking. I finished chewing my burger, taking those few extra seconds to come up with a response. "That depends; how much are you buying?"

"Fifteen Potions, five Ethers, and two Tents," he said, his smirk turning into a sheepish smile.

My eyes widened slightly at the size of the purchase, but I didn't question the order. "Maybe I could give you two of those potions for free," I said, a soft smile appearing on my lips.

Riku's smile faded, curiosity appearing instead. "You're not going to ask what I need all that stuff for?"

I shrugged, at the same time shaking my head. "It's none of my business," I said honestly, setting aside the last few bites of burger I had left so I could speak. "Besides, I often find that when I ask questions, I get weird answers and I wish I never asked in the first place."

Riku chuckled, and I realized then that it was the first time I heard him laugh throughout the whole conversation. I smiled, thinking that it was a sweet laugh. "I bet," he said in agreement. "Let me guess: people buy potions and stuff so they can have dangerous fights with each other and not suffer from pain afterwards?"

"That's a lot of it," I said with a nod. "That, and a lot of people are overly cautious about Heartless. A lot of people stock up twenty potions at a time, and they do that once a week. I don't see how they can go through so many in such a short time; it's not like the Heartless are too common or dangerous around here."

Riku nodded seriously, folding his arms across his chest now that his meal was finished. "The Heartless can get pretty dangerous, though," he pointed out. "You never know when a larger group of them could attack."

I nodded once more, seeing the truth in what Riku said. Whether he knew it or not, that had happened a few weeks ago, when I helped the guys tame a large number of them. "I agree, but these people are just buying all these potions because they're paranoid; not because there's a real threat."

"Well, at least you get good business with them," he said, changing the conversation a little bit. Obviously he felt the need to be prepared for Heartless, but he didn't come across as somebody who was paranoid. Maybe he traveled a lot or something; maybe he ran into a lot of Heartless and actually needed the potions.

"You're right," I agreed, finishing my burger after I spoke.

Riku's eyes softened, the teen becoming serious once again. "You know how to defend yourself, Steph?" he asked quietly, his expression showing a little bit of concern. I couldn't see why he would be worried over me; we just met. But I decided to answer his question anyway.

"Yeah. I know a few spells. And I have a sword I use every once in a while." I didn't bother telling him about the Heartless uprising. The details seemed pointless; especially since I was so sure Riku would only be a one-time customer.

"That's good," Riku said with a nod. "Life's full of surprises; you gotta be prepared."

"Agreed," I said softly, my gaze lowering to the ground as I recalled something that happened recently in my life. I lost a friend to the Heartless. Not many people knew that, and I didn't bother telling them. But I was working on my fighting because of it, so that if the day came where I was in his position, I would be alright.

"You okay?" Riku's voice brought me out of my thoughts, and I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, forcing a small smile as I looked back up at Riku. "Just thinkin' about something."

The silver-haired teen nodded, though something in his eyes said he didn't completely believe that I was "fine." His concern startled me; why did he seem to care so much? "If you're sure," he said, accepting my answer. "What-"

"Hey Riku!" a voice called, the brunet boy coming out of nowhere and running up to Riku. Both of us turned to look at the kid—what was his name again? Sora?

Riku folded his arms across his chest, sending me a look before he turned to look at Sora. "That was quick, Sora," he said, looking down at his friend. I turned my head to look at the clock behind me, and I saw that it had been about half an hour since my lunch started, and when Riku came over.

Sora arched a brow shaking his head. "'Quick?'" he repeated, obviously unsure about that. "I was gone at least half an hour."

Now it was Riku's turn to be unsure. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," Sora said, nodding. "You get the stuff?"

Riku shook his head, turning back to me and offering me a weak smile. "You remember the order?"

"Fifteen Potions, five Ethers, and two Tents, right?" I asked, recalling what he had told me earlier in our conversation.

"That's right," Riku confirmed with a nod. I gave him a nod in return and turned around, taking a few steps back so that I could get them off the shelf. It was a lot of items, but they were in small containers so that people could easily carry them. I put the twenty-two items in a bag and then returned to the counter, seeing Sora and Riku waiting patiently. "Thanks," Riku said, bringing a hand forward and grabbing the bag. He then used his free hand to reach into his pocket, pulling out the necessary munny to pay for the hefty supply.

"Sure thing," I said, giving him a pleasant smile. He gave one to me as well, which made me feel warmer inside. I didn't know why, but it seemed like I had put Riku in a good mood, and that was what I always strived for when I was serving my customers. It felt good, knowing that I accomplished what I wanted.

"See you around, Steph," Riku said, giving me a casual wave with his free hand.

"Bye," I said, waving to him as well. I said "bye" because I doubted that I'd ever see him again; after all, I had never seen him before today. What were the odds that I would see him after this?

After a moment, Riku turned around, heading towards the armor shop. However, Sora stayed behind, coming up to my window with a curious look on his face. "Steph, right?"

"Yup," I confirmed with a small nod. Sora had an odd expression on his face, and I was just about to ask him why he was looking at me so strangely, but he spoke before I gave him the chance.

"Thanks for distracting Riku," he said with a smile. "I don't know how you did it, but he's not mad at me for running off on him. I owe you one," he finished, his smile widening as he jokingly winked at me.

I laughed, not thinking much of it. "No problem."

Sora nodded and offered me one last smile before running off to join Riku, who was already gathering his purchases at the armor shop. As he ran off to catch his friend, I couldn't help but smile.

So much for my day being ordinary.


	2. Chapter 2: Hello Again

Chapter Two: Hello Again

The sunlight poured into my room in the morning, shining directly onto my face as I tried to sleep. I groaned, rolling over and putting the pillow over my face in a way to protect myself from the light. "Just ten more minutes," I mumbled sleepily, snuggling deeper in the sheets of my bed.

"Steph! Wake up!"

"Dang it," I muttered, hearing my mother calling me from downstairs. I rolled over and saw the clock: 8:30. A sigh left my lips when I realized that, once again, I was in danger of being late for work. But that was nothing new for me; I always overslept, even if I went to bed at a decent time.

I sighed once more, dramatically rolling out of bed and dragging my feet to the bathroom. I couldn't imagine any person actually enjoying mornings. I despised them with a passion, because it ended my blissful time of doing nothing. I enjoyed the silence more than I enjoyed being with other people, as weird as that sounds. But I'm not antisocial; I just like quiet time.

Twenty minutes later, my hair was dry from my shower and I had on my mascara and a small amount of eyeliner. I then hurried downstairs, already having my uniform for work on. Unfortunately for me, my mother was waiting for me.

"I'm not going to keep waking you up every morning," Mom said, frowning deeply at me from her place by the sink. "You're 17; you should be more responsible than what you are."

I looked down to the ground, frowning as I grabbed a pop tart I could eat on the way. It wasn't unusual for me to hear this type of thing from my mom, but it still hurt every time. And the worst part was, she never seemed to notice. She figured I ignored her, so she kept repeating herself, saying how hopeless I am and how I'm not good enough for her.

"Are you listening?" she asked, proving my point.

"Yes, Mom, I'm listening," I said, setting my breakfast on the table while I moved to the refrigerator to make myself lunch. I only had two minutes before I had to get out the door, so hopefully her rant wouldn't be that much longer.

Mom sighed, like I was the most hopeless person on the face of the planet. "You only have this job because of me, you know," she said, folding her arms across her chest as she looked at me. "If I didn't wake you every morning, then you would be out of work."

"Yeah, I know Mom," I mumbled, putting my sandwich and snacks into a brown paper bag. "Thanks."

"What'd you say?" she said, her voice tense at the sarcasm present in my gratitude.

"Nothing," I said quickly, picking up my pop tart and my lunch. "I'll see you later." I quickly walked out the door, leaving her alone in the kitchen. Just like every fight we had, it ended with me running away. I never stayed long enough for either of us to apologize because I got the feeling my mom would never apologize for being so mean. She was strict, all-business, and had very high expectations for everyone in life. Especially me.

I dragged my feet as I headed over to my shop, feeling defeat in my spirit. I could never live up to what she wanted me to be. I couldn't be the perfect child that she wanted, or even come close to that. I was Steph, her only child who wasn't a prissy girly-girl, but a bookworm and a "loser". Well, a loser in her eyes, anyway.

I finished opening the shop and I sat on the stool inside, looking around and seeing the usual people in town. I was clear to do what I needed to do. I leaned my arms on the counter and lowered my head, burying it in my arms as I cried softly. I hated that I would never be good enough. I hated that even though I always tried to impress her, she only cut me down.

Even after my tears ran dry, I kept my head lowered. Strangely enough, I think that I actually fell asleep. It made sense, though; whenever I was upset, I always tried to sleep it off. Sometimes it worked, while other times it didn't. Today was one of those times that it didn't work out so well.

"Hey."

I lifted my head without thought, seeing a customer standing in front of me. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry," I apologized quickly, looking up at the tall person's face after I said my apology. I blinked in surprise, seeing the face of a person I thought I would never see again. "Riku?" I was shocked at his appearance, to say the least. It had been a week since Riku first came to my shop, and now he was here again? Back so soon?

Riku nodded in silence, tilting his head a little bit to look at me from his higher position. I tried to shake off my sleepiness and my emotional mood quickly, and then I realized why he was looking at me like that. I had been crying. "Oh, that's embarrassing," I groaned, turning my face away and lifting my hands to try and get rid of the tear trails.

The silver-haired teen in front of the shop stayed silent for a few moments, waiting for me to compose myself. _I can't believe I was stupid enough to break down here! _I thought miserably, sniffling without thought. I reached down and grabbed a tissue, wiping right under my eyes in case any of my makeup had been messed up by my tears.

"Everything okay?" Riku asked after a few minutes, looking at me intently.

"Yeah," I said, instantly bringing up a hand and waving it off. "It's nothing."

Riku tilted his head to the side, disbelief showing in his aquamarine eyes. "It doesn't seem like nothing to me," he said, being blunt but sounding gentle at the same time. He really did want to help, didn't he?

"It's stupid," I countered, shaking my head. Really, it was; I got into fights with my mom all the time. This time was no different than any other, except that somebody had actually seen me while I was upset. I wasn't grateful for it at the time, since I hated appearing vulnerable. Nobody knew how bad it got between me and my mother, and now Riku, a person I had met one time before, wanted to hear about it?

"I'll humor you," Riku said, coming up and sitting himself on the counter casually as a way to show that he wasn't going to leave without hearing what I had to say.

I sighed, shaking my head. He was determined, and a little pushy. At the same time, though, I needed that; I needed to talk to somebody, even if that somebody was practically a stranger. "I got in a fight with my mom this morning," I confessed softly, looking down at the counter with sad eyes.

"That's not stupid," Riku assured me softly. Despite the fact that I wasn't looking up at him, I could feel his gaze on me. And just from that gaze, I felt myself wanting to crumble again. For some reason, it was hard to put up a wall against Riku.

"It** is** stupid," I said, shaking my head. "It happens a lot. I shouldn't get so worked up over it."

"Sometimes, the things that happen most often can be the most hurtful," Riku said quietly. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him still gazing at me, and I finally lifted my head to look back at him. "Whenever things like that happen, you can either decide to wallow in it or face it and try and making things right."

I bit my lip and looked down at the counter, Riku's words striking a nerve. I didn't like to admit it, but there were days where I would just wallow about it. "What if things can't be fixed?" I whispered softly, so quiet that I wasn't sure if Riku could hear me.

"Then you can still work at it, and if it doesn't work out in the end, then at least you tried," Riku said, proving that he had indeed heard my whispered words. I looked up at him and gave him a weak nod, a small smile also on my lips as a sign of appreciation.

"So," I said, changing the subject. "You probably didn't come over just to hear about my problems."

"Actually, Sora ran off again," Riku said, a smile appearing on his lips. Judging by Riku's facial expression, he didn't seem to feel too angry or sorry about that.

"Ah, so you needed somebody to entertain you," I said, my lips turning up into a smile as well. Me crying probably hadn't been too entertaining, but I decided I would leave my emotional state behind in favor of something more light-hearted.

"Pretty much," Riku replied, his smile turning into a smirk. I felt my own smile widen at his, though I knew that happiness couldn't last for long. I was always miserable after fighting with my mother, and that sorrowful mood wasn't easily swayed.

"I'm boring, though; I'm not an entertainer."

Riku arched a brow, looking at me as if he didn't believe me. However, instead of saying so, he asked me a question. "You know any magic tricks?"

"Magic tricks?" I laughed, shaking my head at the thought. "Nothing beyond card tricks, no."

"Got any cards?"

I looked up at him, suspicion in my gaze at first. "You're serious, aren't you?" I asked immediately, seeing his earnestness in his aquamarine eyes.

He shrugged lightly, setting a hand on the counter when the motion was complete. "Hey, what else are we supposed to do until Sora randomly reappears?"

"I don't know," I said honestly. "But it can't be anything with cards; I don't have any on me."

"That's a shame," Riku said, sounding genuinely disappointed. Surprisingly, I felt the same way; it would have been fun to show off the only card trick that I knew. But what were we supposed to do now?

"Um…" I lifted a hand, tucking back a strand of hair as I tried to think of something to say. Finally, I came up with the right thing to say. "You know any magic tricks, Riku?"

This time, it was Riku's turn to laugh. He chuckled and shook his head, his eyes going down to the counter he sat on as he answered. "Nah. I wasn't into that kind of stuff growing up. I was more into fighting for 'fun'."

"Ah, boy stuff," I said, a smile appearing on my lips. Riku returned the smile, and that prompted me to ask another question. "Sword fights or fist fights?"

"Sword, for the most part," Riku said, confirming my suspicions. He seemed like the person who would be into duels instead of brawls. "Some of my friends fought with other weapons, like jump ropes and blitzballs."

"Blitzball?" _What in the world is that?_ I thought to myself, the question coming through in my voice. I had never heard of anything like that, though it did sound interesting.

"I'm not exactly sure either," Riku confessed with a light shrug. "Some kind of…underwater football, from what I can gather."

"Okay…" Weird, yes, but whatever. It must not have been a very popular sport, since I never heard of it. I left the topic of the sport alone, shifting back to what Riku and I were originally talking about. "So he throws sports balls at people when he's fighting?"

"Strange, huh?" he said, his words reflecting my thoughts. When I nodded, he continued speaking. "He's actually really good at it. He could never beat me in a fight, but nobody really could."

I lifted a hand and tucked back a strand of hair out of habit, not surprised to hear that Riku beat his friends in fights. Looking at him now, he was very muscular. _What am I saying?_ "Anybody ever get hurt?" I asked in attempt to leave my own thoughts behind, my eyes going back up to Riku after I spoke my question.

"Eh, not too badly. A few bruises, but other than that, nothing really."

"That's…surprising," I confessed. "I was expecting you to say people got hurt all the time."

Riku arched a brow, folding his arms across his chest when he heard my remark. "What, you don't think that we weren't careful?"

I took a moment to analyze his tone, and I could tell that he wasn't offended by my admission. It was more…curiosity, that filled his tone. "I just know how boys can be sometimes," I said, giving him a weak smile.

"Ah. I'm guessing you know a few who would take things to the extreme?"

A sigh left my lips as I shook my head, my eyes wandering down to the counter. "Unfortunately," I responded, my voice showing how I felt by the meaningless violence that the local boys did. "Most of the boys in this town are like that, hence why I don't hang out with the boys too often." I hung out with a lot of girls when I wasn't working or being yelled at by my mom, even though I got sick of the drama they went through sometimes.

"Any close guy friends that aren't stupid?"

"Two or three," I said with a light shrug, looking back up at Riku. "But we're still not too close."

Riku set a hand on the counter, glancing down when he performed the motion before he looked to me again. "That's…sad."

I shrugged lightly, realizing that Riku didn't sound overly sad. I wasn't sure what he meant by what he said, so I just went along with it, figuring that I could try and figure it out later. "It's alright, I've survived the last 17 years of life without a close guy friend. It's something you get used to after a while."

"Right."

After a few moments of silence, I decided that it was time that I asked a question. I had noticed that Riku was an inquisitive person, always inquiring things of be before I could think of anything to ask him myself. Thanks to the pause, though, I had my chance. "So…you have any close girl friends?"

"Just one," Riku said, smiling softly when he answered. "A childhood friend of mine, and Sora's girlfriend. We've been friends for years."

"What's this I hear about me?" Sora asked, appearing out of nowhere and coming over to the side of the stand opposite of Riku. He didn't wait for an answer, first turning his head and looking at me. "Hey, Steph," he greeted, giving me a casual wave.

"Hi Sora," I said back, a smile appearing on my face as well as I turned to face him. "We were just talking about friendships and stuff."

"Oh, I see," the brunet said, chuckling as he looked over to Riku. "As long as you weren't talking about me behind my back, then that's fine." He smirked over at me to show that he was joking, the gesture making my smile widen. Sora seemed like a genuinely fun guy, and I almost wished that he would actually stick around so that I could get to know him better. However, at the same time, I felt like I wouldn't know Riku as well as I did if Sora was around.

_What am I saying?_ I thought to myself, tuning out a conversation between Riku and Sora as I thought things over. _You hardly know Riku at all; he's been to your shop two times._

"We should get going," I heard Riku say, which brought me out of my thoughts. I saw that he was still speaking to Sora, though, so I didn't feel awkward about being caught up in my thoughts.

"Right," Sora said, nodding in agreement.

Riku turned his gaze to me then, Sora doing the same thing. "I guess we should be on our way. See you later," he said with a small smile, bringing up a hand and waving at me subtly.

A soft smile appeared on my lips as well as I mimicked the gesture, having lightly at the two boys. "See you later," I said, my thoughts threatening to distract me again as I said my farewell. However, I put my thoughts on hold, seeing Sora wave back and grin at me as if to say_, You're my hero for distracting Riku again._ I fought the urge to laugh, though my smile did widen at Sora's expression. I watched as the two boys walked away, and I finally allowed myself to think.

_Last time you saw Riku, you said "goodbye", believing that you would never see him again. This time, you said "see you later", as if you actually believe that you'll see him again, _I thought, going over things in my mind.What had changed from that time to this time? Perhaps it was the fact that I actually missed Riku when I didn't see him for a week, or maybe it was that I missed that I actually had a good day at work.

Or maybe, just maybe, I was glad that somebody had actually said something and meant it. When Riku said "see you later" after leaving the first time, he really meant it. I wasn't used to people saying things that they actually meant; there were so many people who said things to me that, in the end, meant absolutely nothing.

Riku, though…when he said he would see me later, it was like a promise. He didn't say the words just to be polite or out of habit—he had really returned, which fulfilled the statement "see you later".

I smiled at that, realizing that my job did have some perks to it after all.


	3. Chapter 3: Struggle

Chapter Three: Struggle

The Saturday that was a few days after my last conversation with Riku was going to be a great day. You know how I knew that? I finally had a day off.

The first that I did that morning was pop out of bed at 8:00, much to my mother's dismay. She kept grumbling on how I could wake up for something meaningless, but I couldn't drag myself out of bed in time for work. It hurt, but I ignored her, since I wasn't about to allow anything to spoil my day. It was my first day off in a month, so I was going to enjoy it no matter what.

I met up with my friends at 9:30 at the train station, all of us with the money we needed to go to the beach. Actually, I was the only one who had to pay; everybody else has a train-pass so that they can ride to the beach whenever they wanted. This sparked a little jealousy in me; they get to live their lives however they wanted during the summer, while I was locked up in a tiny little store.

Regardless, I pushed my negative feelings behind me and was in a good mood by the time we reached the beach. We spent the entire day there, swimming in the ocean, getting a tan, and goofing off in general. Without a doubt, it was the best entire day of my summer.

And now, as I exited the train with my friends, I couldn't help but wish we had more great days like this. Including me, there were seven of us who went to the beach. Four of my friends were girls—Jessica, Amber, Natalie and Emily, while the other two were boys; Tommy and John. All of the girls insisted that John had a crush on me, but I didn't see it. Sure, he got a little shyer around me, but he was a naturally quiet guy, so I didn't think much of his silence.

"That was so much fun," Jess said, saying what we were all thinking as we started down the hill by the train station.

"It was," I agreed, turning my head to look at all my friends as we walked. "I wish I could have off work more often and we could hang out more often." I hadn't had that much fun in a long time, especially not with this group of friends. It was a sad thought, so I put it behind me.

"Are you going to the Struggle tonight?" Tommy asked, turning his head and directing the question at me.

"Yeah," I confirmed with a nod. After all, the Struggle Tournament was the whole reason that I had off. It only happened once a year, so I was excited to go see it. Much to my friends' shock, I didn't enter as a competitor. The whole town knows that I can fight, but in reality, I prefer not to. Violence never solved anything, after all.

"You should have entered," Emily said, immediately backing up the thoughts that I had just completed.

I shrugged lightly at that, looking forward again as we approached the Marketplace. "You know me, Em, I don't like fighting. I will if I have to, but it's not something to do for fun." Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed John look away; he liked fighting, so he probably didn't like what I had to say. Oops.

"Struggle's starting, in like, five minutes," Amber said, breaking through the tension before it fully surfaced. "We better hurry!"

I turned my head towards my shop, seeing a familiar person standing against the building. Riku. "You guys go ahead," I told them. "I'll catch up." Without waiting for them to protest, I started jogging towards my new friend.

"Don't be late!" Natalie called.

I waved a little over my shoulder, to let her know that I had heard her. I stopped in front of Riku, who had pushed himself off the wall and was standing upright as well. "Hey," I said, looking up at him from my shorter height. "What're you doing here?" I hadn't expected to see him so soon (again), and I hadn't been expecting him to be standing outside my shop.

"Actually, I needed some potions," Riku said with a shy smile. "I came by around four, but you weren't here."

"Oh, yeah, all the shops are closed today," I informed him, tucking back a strand of brunette hair as I spoke. "Everything's shut down for the Struggle Tournament."

"Ah, that makes sense," Riku said, bringing a hand to his forehead as he looked at the ground. He didn't seem at ease, though, which prompted the question that I asked next.

"How badly do you need those potions?"

"Pretty badly," Riku said grimly, frowning. "Is there any way you can…?"

"Can I break in and get some?" I said, finishing the sentence when Riku trailed off. He nodded to confirm that I had the right idea, and I looked down at the ground in thought. If I was caught, I would get in serious trouble, but that never bothered me before. "I probably can, but not right now. If I don't go to the Struggle, my friends'll come looking for me."

Riku nodded, his serious expression fading a little bit as he looked to me. "Then we better get to that Struggle. C'mon." He started in the direction of the sandlot and I followed right after him, taking a few quick steps so that I was next to him.

"Where's Sora?" I asked, realizing that he was nowhere to be seen, and everyone else was at the Struggle matches.

"He's taking care of some things by himself today," Riku said simply. Something in his tone allowed me to know that it was a personal matter, so I didn't ask any more questions. The rest of the walk was a silent one, but it wasn't awkward—it was actually pretty nice. I think that it proved that Riku and I were really friends, and we didn't have to speak all the time.

We walked in during the middle of a match, with two local boys fighting on the stage. I waved to my friends on another bench to show them that I had come, but I saw that there wasn't enough room for both me and Riku to sit with them. I found an empty bench and sat down, Riku placing himself down beside me and leaning forward on the seat as he watched the fight.

The crowd erupted into cheers, seeing one boy deal a critical blow to the other. Orbs flew up into the air and the leader grabbed them all, at the same time not letting up on his opponent. The crowd continued to scream and shout, though Riku and I were both calm and composed as we watched the match.

"We have a winner!" the referee cried, blowing a horn and stepping into the square when the time was up. He approached the leader from before and grabbed onto his wrist, raising both their arms high into the air to show the victor.

I could hear Jessica's loud cheer from my position, and I couldn't help but smile at my friend's joy. Indeed, it had been a good match, and it had been fun to watch. Judging by the glimpse of Riku's face I had seen earlier, he had enjoyed it as well.

"Alright," the referee said, releasing the victor's wrist as the two fighters went off the stage. "This year, we're trying something new. All week, you've voted for the person you would like to see fight most—a person who hadn't already entered the Struggle tournament. This person will face Rodney," he said, nodding towards a blond-haired boy on a bench near the stage. As if on cue, Rodney rose to his feet and got up on the stage, standing next to the speaker.

"Okay, folks, this is the moment you've been waiting for! The person that you voted for, and who won by a long shot, is….Steph!"

I blinked at the cheering, turning my head to look at the people around me to see if I had heard that right. Me? They wanted **me** to fight? I turned to look at Riku beside me, and judging by his surprised facial expression, they really had called my name.

"Steph! Steph! Steph!" I turned my head in the direction of my closest friends, seeing them starting a chant. _Oh gosh,_ I thought, bringing a hand to my forehead in embarrassment. In a few moments, they had the whole place chanting my name, which was just awkward for me.

"Come on up, Steph!" the referee cried, looking directly at me from his place on the stage. I lowered my hand and met his eyes, knowing that nobody was going to let me skip out of this fight. Sighing, I pushed myself up off my seat, starting to climb the stairs that led to the stage.

The whole crowd began to cheer, the chanting subsiding as they saw I would really fight. At this point, I knew that fighting would be the easiest thing to do to get the attention off of me. I always did hate the spotlight, even if I starred in a few school plays. I was the quiet girl who kept to herself, and I still was that way for the most part.

"Alright, you two know the rules," the ref said, handing me a Struggle Sword to battle with. "You both have 100 Orbs. Whoever has the most at the end, wins."

I nodded, though I already knew the rules. Everybody in Twilight Town knew how to play this sport, but they always said the rule as a formality. I switched my bat to my left hand and extended my hand towards Rodney, offering to shake his hand as a sign of good sportsmanship. However, he didn't react the same way. I looked up at his face just in time and pulled my hand when he tried to spit on my hand, surprise appearing on my face.

The crowd "ooed" and "awed" at this scene, and I furrowed my brows, walking to my side of the stage while Rodney did the same. Alright, so if he didn't want to be nice, then I didn't have to be either.

The referee stepped out of the ring, walking down the steps and turning to face one of the men in charge of keeping score.

"Girls shouldn't be allowed to play this sport," Rodney sneered, recapturing my attention. I turned my head and looked at him, not caring what he had to say. I didn't want to play, so why bother getting into an argument? "This is a joke; there's no way some little priss can take me down."

"No insults in the square!" a voice from my right called. I turned and saw that it was Riku who had spoken, and he was glaring at Rodney. _Thanks, Riku,_ I silently thought, looking at him for a second before I looked back to Rodney. He looked angered now, but he wasn't talking any more smack. Good.

"Ready?" the ref said, turning towards the ring. "Struggle!"

The crowd erupted into cheers once again, though nothing of us did anything other than take a few steps forward and circle around the ring. I kept my eyes on him, and he kept his eyes on me, neither of us making a move to attack.

"You ready to go down, girly?" he said, twirling his weapon in his hand in a way to show off to the crowd. I heard the words clearly, the crowd not in an uproar anymore. They could tell he was being a jerk, and they didn't want to egg him on and cheer for him. That meant that they wanted me to win and put him in his place. Strangely, I was alright with that idea.

"You first," I said, keeping my bat lowered so that the tip was pointed at the ground.

"Hmph." Rodney stopped pacing at the same time I did, and I saw him take a leap forward, the teen landing a foot in front of where I had been before I jumped to the side. I swung my Struggle Sword at him, though I only felt our foam bats meet. I tried again, with the same result. He kept deflecting my attacks, and I kept deflecting his, neither of us getting a hit on each other.

"Hey look, Orlando Bloom," he said jokingly, looking behind me as if the celebrity was behind me. I didn't take his bait, instead using this against him. My bat came in contact with his gut, forcing him to step back a few steps. I couldn't help but smirk when the crowd cheered loudly at my actions, the orbs floating to me automatically.

"Hey look, your distraction failed," I said, mimicking him a little bit with my taunt. I normally didn't allow myself to stoop so low, but he deserved worse than what I was giving him.

Rodney looked up, anger burning in his eyes. I flinched slightly, though I was sure it wasn't visible to anybody in the crowd. _Maybe I shouldn't egg him on,_ I thought, taking a small step back in caution. The boy in front of me released a harsh battle cry, leaping forward and swinging his Struggle Bat at me with all his might. I blocked the blow with my own sword and the battle continued the way it had been before, neither of us getting a hit on each other.

Time was travelling pretty slowly during that fight; or at least, it felt like it was dragging on and on. Eventually we both got worn down and got minor blows on each other, but thanks to my first hit, I was still in the lead. Surely this match would end soon—I just had to hold on for a few more seconds…

I saw the bat coming in at me and I ducked, eyes wide when Rodney aimed for my head. _What a jerk!_ I thought, lifting my head and starting to swing my sword at him. However, he pulled his bat back in the other direction, and before I could complete my swing, I felt him knock me hard in the head. A soft grunt left my lips as I went down, falling on my butt and allowing my left arm to catch me so I didn't fall on my side and hit my head. I felt Rodney attack me again and again, the crowd booing at his awful acts.

After a few seconds, I regained my senses and swung my bat at his legs, which forced him to jump backwards. I brought my left hand off the ground and gripped my head, looking at him a few feet away. The Struggle Swords were made of foam, but it had a harder core so that the bats wouldn't be flimsy. And boy, was I feeling the effects of that harder core.

Rodney smirked and charged forward again, setting both hands on the hilt of his sword as he swung vertically at me while I was still on the ground. Instinct kicked in and I got onto my feet, though my knees were bent quite a bit as I lifted my sword in self defense, my left hand supporting the edge of the bat. I grunted, feeling him impact it. However, no harm came to me, and I pressed back against his weapon, pushing myself up onto my feet fully at the same time.

"Stupid girl," he grunted, seeing that I wasn't defeated by his harsh move. "You never give up, do you?"

I didn't respond, just glaring at him with my bright blue eyes. I finally pushed his sword off of mine, moving back a few steps when he was forced to do the same action. I heard the crowd cheering at my recovery, but I didn't take my eyes off the jerk in front of me, my sword back down at my side as I looked to him. I had something in mind—something that would ensure that I would win.

Just like I hoped, Rodney charged for me, swinging his bat as soon as he was in reach. I furrowed my eyebrows and stepped to his side, then taking another step to get around to his back where he was vulnerable. I swung hard, seeing the orbs fly up into the air and into my pockets. However, I wasn't done yet, and neither was Rodney.

Rodney spun around, though he was thinking defensively now instead of offensively. Perfect. I swung my bat at his hand, hitting it hard enough to release a few orbs. More than that, though, Rodney released his grip on the bat, which went flying into the crowd.

I pointed my bat at him, a small smirk appearing on my lips as I stared at his surprised facial expression. Realizing that he had lost, he took a few steps back, his hands raised in surrender. The fans screamed, rising to their feet at the fact that the villain had been defeated and that their "wild card" had won.

"We have a winner!" the referee cried, reentering the square from the corner closest to me. He walked over and grabbed my left wrist, lifting my arm high into the air, which send another roar through the crowd. I glanced at my friends, seeing them whooping and hollering for me, along with the rest of the town. I blushed in shyness, my gaze going down to the ground as I listened to the cheering.

After what felt like an eternity, the ref lowered my hand, giving me a pat on the shoulder with one hand as his other hand came out and took the bat from my grasp. "You'll have a little while till your next match," he informed me. "Yours'll be the first one tomorrow night." When I nodded to confirm that I heard him, he took his hand off my shoulder. "Good job, Steph. You can go back to being a spectator."

I nodded once again, glad to hear the words being spoken. I tucked back a strand of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail as I headed off the stage, hearing something about there being a twenty minute break before the next round.

"Good job, _chica_!" Emily squealed, running the few feet between us and wrapping her arms around me. I nearly fell backwards from the force in it, but I balanced myself after taking a few steps back. After fighting an intense battle, it would have been extremely embarrassing to have a clumsy moment and fall over.

"Easy, Em," Natalie said, laughing as she came over and put a hand on Emily's shoulder. Emily backed off a little bit, just in time for me to see my other friends rushing over to me.

"That was amazing!" Tommy said with awe, excited for a good match.

"You did great!" Jess commented, squealing a little bit out of excitement.

"Good job." I turned my head at the softer voice, seeing John standing next to me and looking awfully shy. Perhaps there was something to my friends' theories of him having a crush on me after all.

"Thanks," I said, a weak smile appearing on my lips as I responded to him specifically. We both blushed, though none of my friends could tell that I was blushing since my cheeks were already a little pink from the fight.

I looked past my excited group and saw Riku standing by the bench we were at before, keeping an eye on me while I was swarmed by friends_. He's probably too shy to come over when he doesn't know anybody else, _I instantly thought. "You guys excuse me?" I asked politely, giving my friends a weak smile. They glanced back and saw Riku waiting, and though they didn't meet him before, they allowed me to pass. Their trust made my smile grow; I loved how they didn't question who my friend was or why I was going to him instead of hanging with them.

"Hey," I greeted casually, aware that my breathing wasn't quite back to normal yet because of the match. I instantly wished that Riku hadn't seen that; I was afraid that he would treat me differently now that I showed that I could fight. Of course, it was a stupid fear, and I was simply afraid that Riku wasn't the person that I thought he was, and he would judge me differently.

"Hey," Riku said back, his greeting as casual as mine. That instantly alleviated my fears, and I understood that he wasn't going to treat me any differently than he ever did before. However, he did bring up my match. "That was some fight."

"Yeah…" I smiled shyly, lifting a hand to tuck back a strand of hair. _I really should redo my ponytail_, I thought, realizing that it was probably a little messy. Oh well, I'd worry about it later.

Riku lowered his gaze to my left hand at that, his gaze softening a little bit. "Your hand…"

I shifted my gaze downward as well, seeing that I had some blood on my hand. "Oh…" Realization struck me at that moment; when Rodney hit my head and knocked me to the ground, my left hand had been the one to catch me. I must have scraped it on the stage, which explained the blood and the throbbing that I was feeling now that my adrenaline was fading.

"Any place we can get that cleaned up?" Riku asked, still gazing down at my hand when he spoke the question.

I nodded faintly, shifting my gaze to his face. "There should be a medical kit in the back alley," I said, thinking of the new installment that the town had put in. The Heartless were getting a little worse lately, so they kept a kit with wraps and such in various locations over the town. Of course, they allowed people to use the kits if they were injured in other ways like this, too.

"C'mon," Riku said, looking up at my face as well. "I'll come with you." I nodded faintly in response, not surprised that he made the offer. I glanced at my friends, but they didn't look at us as we passed behind them, all of them too into the discussion that was occurring at the moment.

The noises started fading out as we entered into the back alley, and I wasn't shocked to see that nobody else was back here. After all, a match was going to start soon, and nobody in the town was going to miss that. Well, nobody but me and Riku, but I honestly didn't care about that.

"Steph!"

Both Riku and I stopped at the cry, with him turning around and me just looking over my shoulder. I rolled my eyes at the sight, my gaze going forward again when I saw who was about to pester me. "Go away, Rodney," I said, speaking loudly enough for him to hear me even if I was facing the other direction. I didn't want to see him; he pulled some dirty moves in that fight, and I didn't appreciate it.

"You may have beaten me in a Struggle battle," Rodney started, "but I bet you couldn't beat me in a real fight. "

I shook my head, my hands turning into light fists at the words. "I'm not fighting you, Rodney."

"What, are you chicken?" he taunted, though he didn't really have the right to. I just defeated him, and he wanted to fight me again? _What an idiot_, I thought, tempted to roll my eyes again. "Come on, girl; fight me, right here, right now."

I glanced over my shoulder, seeing his eyes for a second before I turned back in my original direction. "No," I said again. It was bad enough that I was forced into fighting him at the Struggle match, since I hated unnecessary violence. Fighting him now would go against everything I believed in morally, and I wasn't about to stoop so low.

For a few seconds, Rodney was silent. The only reason that I could tell he was there was because of the thick tension in the air. That, and Riku was still facing in that direction. I could see Riku out of the corner of my eye, seeing that he was a few feet to my left. From what I could tell, he was tense as well.

All of a sudden, though, I heard a yell. No, a **battle cry**. My eyes widened and I spun around just in time to see Rodney charging at me, a sword in his grasp. He was only a few steps away now, and I realized in a split second that he was going to hit me whether I summoned my sword or not. And I couldn't summon it; it wouldn't appear in time!

Upon realizing the danger, I lifted my arms to shield myself. I squeezed my eyes shut as well, knowing that I was in for a world of hurt when that hit landed.

In a split second, I felt something I hadn't been prepared for: a hand on my shoulder, shoving me to the side and into a wall. I fell on my butt, my head hitting the brick wall that was next to where I had previously been standing. I gasped, both in surprise and pain.

Then I heard the sound of metal against metal, and as I brought a hand to my head, I forced my eyes open. I blinked a few times to clear the haze that made things a little blurry, though I didn't need to see perfectly to know what had happened.

Riku had shoved me out of the way, summoned his own blade, and blocked Rodney's blow, doing it all in the half second before Rodney would have reached me.

I sat there in stunned silence, seeing Riku press against Rodney's blade and force him to take a few steps back. Then Riku rammed him into the wall by the entrance to the sandlot, another action that made my eyes widen.

"She said she didn't want to fight," Riku said in a low tone of voice, his arm against Rodney's upper chest. "Leave her be."

From my position on the ground, it was hard to see exactly how Rodney was reacting to this. I couldn't see Riku's face, either, but I supposed that it was probably a good thing that I couldn't.

"Get out of here," Riku said, giving Rodney one last push before he himself took a few steps back. Now that I could see Rodney's face, I saw that he looked a bit fearful as he summoned his weapon away and ran down to the Sandlot, where he would blend into the crowd and disappear. I shifted my gaze to the weapon that Riku held, my eyes showing surprise as well as pain as I looked at it_. Is that…? No, it couldn't be…_

"Steph?" I blinked at Riku's question, seeing that he was now right in front of me, kneeling so that he was down to my level. I didn't know when he had gotten there, but I could see the concern in his eyes as he looked at me.

I realized that he wanted me to say something, but my head was throbbing, and I was in a bit of shock from what had happened. I blinked, exhaling a breath at the same time when I realized I had previously been holding it in.

"Talk to me, Steph," Riku said, his voice becoming a little more urgent when I didn't respond to him.

I shifted my gaze down a little bit, seeing Riku's weapon still in his grasp and touching the ground. Finally, I found my voice, though I didn't recognize it when I spoke.

"Is that a…Keyblade?"


	4. Chapter 4: Riku

Chapter Four: Riku

"Ouch," I instantly said, wincing when Riku put a wet cotton ball against a scratch on my face. It was covered with disinfectant that he had gotten out of the medical kit that had previously been on the wall of the back alley. Now, though, it was beside Riku, who was on his knees in front of me and treating what minor injuries I had from what had just happened.

"Sorry," Riku said, pulling the cotton ball away from my face. He set it in the medical box as he gazed at me, his aquamarine eyes staying on mine as we sat in the back alley. It had just been a few minutes ago that everything had occurred, with Riku saving me in the end. It was still so hard to believe that he had done that, and the Keyblade…

"Give me your hand," Riku said, bringing me out of my thoughts. I saw his empty hand extended and I lifted my right hand into his, only to be given a confused look from Riku. "Other hand, Steph." I shifted my gaze downward at that, seeing that my left hand was still a little bloody from my Struggle match earlier. _Oh, wow, I feel dumb_, I thought, correcting my mistake. I kept my palm upward, my eyes staying on that as I turned a little pink.

"How hard did you hit your head?" Riku asked, reaching into the medical kit and pulling out a wet wipe to run over the scrape.

"Judging by the headache, pretty hard," I said, leaning my head back against the brick wall as I gazed at Riku wiping off my hand with the wipe. My head really was throbbing, not that it was surprising to me. Riku had shoved me hard and quickly so Rodney wouldn't hit me, which in turn made me hit my head harder.

"Sorry," Riku said, apologizing for the second time in less than five minutes. "I should have pulled you back, not to the side."

I shook my head at this, glancing up at Riku's face even though he wasn't looking at me at the moment. "It's alright. I'd rather have a headache than gashes from a sword," I said, frowning at the memory of what almost happened. Seriously…what had Rodney been thinking? Was he that bitter about losing the Struggle match? _Not surprising_, I thought, realizing that he had always been a poor sport when it came to anything athletic.

"Right."

I bit down on my lip lightly, lowering my gaze to his hand in his as he took the wipe away and grabbed the disinfectant spray, using it over the scraps. I felt my hand curl up in his a little, a hiss of pain leaving my lips before I could stop it.

"Sorry."

"You gotta stop saying that," I said, lifting my gaze to his eyes. "It can't be helped."

Riku nodded stiffly, grabbing a fresh wipe, which he used to run over my scrape once again. When he cleaned it, he reached into the medical kit once again, pulling out gauze so that he could wrap up my hand.

I shook my head at this, pulling my hand away. "It's not that bad; I don't need gauze." You could see a few scrapes on my hand, but it wasn't anything serious. Besides, if anybody saw it, they would instantly be concerned—like my mother. I frowned at that thought, lowering my gaze to the hand that now sat in my lap.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Riku putting the gauze back into the box. I was glad that he didn't argue against me; my head was pounding too much for me to put up a serious fight. I sighed, leaning my head against the wall again as I shut my eyes. I half expected Riku to apologize again, since he had already done so three times in the past five minutes.

Instead of speaking, though, Riku moved to sit beside me against the wall, his legs laid out in front of him.

For a long time, we just sat in silence, with me keeping my eyes closed and Riku staring at the ground. We both knew what was coming up in this conversation; Riku couldn't avoid the truth forever. He had summoned his Keyblade in front of me, and now he wasn't saying a word about it. When I asked him if his weapon was a Keyblade, he simply said "Yes, it is," before he summoned it away and went for the medical kit.

I had never seen a Keyblade before that, and yet somehow, I knew what it was. I supposed that it was just one of those things, where once you saw something, you knew exactly what it was. My question now, was what did it mean?

"I guess I have a lot of explaining to do," Riku finally said.

I nodded, keeping my head against the wall. I opened my eyes and looked over at Riku, seeing that he was already gazing at me. "You…have a Keyblade. That's a pretty big deal."

Riku silently nodded, shifting his gaze to the wall in front of his. I followed his lead, clasping my hands in my lap as I stared at the wall. I could tell that he was contemplating what he would say, so that was enough for me to wait patiently. However, there was just one thing that I needed to say. "No secrets, okay?"

"I can't promise you that, Steph," he said, his voice sincere. "There are a lot of secrets that come along with the Keyblade, and I can't say everything that I want to say. It's bad enough that you know I have it."

"What do you mean?" I prompted gently, referring to Riku's last sentence. Why couldn't I know about him having the Keyblade? I mean, I wasn't planning on telling anyone…

Riku sighed, turning his head and looking at me. He lifted a hand and set it on my shoulder, the movement immediately making me turn my head towards him as well. As soon as my eyes met his, he spoke, though his voice sounded cautious for a change. "Don't freak out, okay?"

_Uh-oh. I don't like where this is going._ "Okay," I said, though I could feel my concern rising up inside of me.

"The Keyblade tends to attract…trouble," Riku said, seeming to have a hard time finding the right word to describe it. "Those who have it often attract Heartless, along with other types of evil." I tilted my head at this, clearly not understanding what he meant by that. "One of those secrets I'm not allowed to spill," he elaborated, a weak smile appearing on his lips.

I didn't want to accept that, but I knew that I had no choice but to deal with a few secrets. "So what **can** you tell me?" I asked softly. Even if Riku couldn't tell me some things, there was a lot I wanted to know.

Riku shook his head, shifting his gaze to the ground as he took his hand off my shoulder. "Not much," he said, sounding a little defeated. I honestly believed that he wanted to tell me everything, but he was bound tightly enough that he couldn't share much. In order to help him out, I decided to ask a few questions.

"What **is** the Keyblade, anyway?" I asked, continuing to look at him even though he wasn't looking at me.

"It's…mysterious, in a lot of ways. It's a weapon that certain people are destined to use, whether it be for Light or for Dark." I nodded to show that I understood before he continued speaking. "There are a lot of legends and myths about the Keyblade, why it was made and what its purpose is. Some believe that the Keyblade Masters save the worlds, but others say-"

"—that they only bring ruin and destruction," I finished, my gaze now lowered to the ground. This was a popular legend, and one of the only ones that anybody knew.

"You've heard the legend," Riku said, surprise evident in his voice. At the same time, though, he phrased it with certainty, not saying the words as if he was asking a question.

"Yeah."

"…Which one do you believe?" he asked quietly, almost as if he were nervous.

I pulled my legs up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them as I gazed at the wall. It was a difficult question to answer, not because it was a bad answer, but because I didn't know how I felt about it. My mother, when she told me the legend, hinted that I should believe that they bring pain and suffering. But I always felt that, deep down inside, she was wrong about it all, and the Keyblade was a weapon meant to bring peace.

"Steph?"

"It's hard for me to answer that," I said slowly, realizing that Riku was prompting me because I had been silent for a little while. "I've never really picked a side, since it never really affected me. But…" I hesitated for a second, wondering if I should have said what was on my mind. When I felt Riku's gaze on me, I decided that I would say it. "…seeing you, and the look in your eyes all the time, I can't see you hurting anybody, or doing anything maliciously. So, I guess…" I turned my head to look at Riku, my eyes meeting his once again. "I believe the first one."

"…You meant that?"

"Of course I mean it," I said more gently, having noticed a look in his eyes that I couldn't identify. "You just…make things lighter," I tried to explain, though I felt as if I were failing miserably. "I can't believe that you're a bad person."

Riku smiled, the smile on his face so genuine that it brought a smile upon my face as well. "Thanks. It means a lot." He saw the confused look on my face, which prompted him to continue. "I had a bad past. A lot of people can't see past it. During that time, Sora was one of the only ones to stick with me."

"Sora…" I said, smiling a little as I recalled the goofy kid that was constantly with Riku. Or, more often than not, running off on Riku. "Wait a sec!" I suddenly said, something clicking on my head. "You're a Keyblade Master…Sora travels with you. Does that mean…?"

"Sora wields the Keyblade as well," Riku confirmed with a nod.

"Wow….That's….surprising," I said slowly, trying to find a way to say what I was thinking.

"Why, because he's such a goofball?" he asked, a slight smirk appearing on his lips.

I shook my head, dismissing Riku's question and giving a more serious answer. "He's so young," I said softly, gazing at the ground. That was some way to spend your teenage years, fighting Heartless and other problems. In a way, I pitied Sora, and Riku. They were using their youth on handling problems larger than drama and crushes; their lives were constantly at risk.

Even though I was the same age as Sora, I knew that I could never be like him. Giving up everything in favor of working towards the greater good? I cared about people, but not that much.

The silence lingered now, and it gave me a sense that the conversation was now complete. I didn't know what else to say now, and Riku seemed to have been too deep in thought to speak any more. So I allowed the quietness to remain, and my own thoughts overtook me.

Well, they overtook me until I heard Riku's voice, which interrupted what I had been pondering.

"How's your headache?"

"Almost gone," I said, though I wouldn't quite look him in the eye. If I did that, then he would know that I was lying.

"Steph."

Or maybe he already knew.

"It's gotten better," I said with a sigh. "Honest. I feel better."

"Do you…"

"…Yeah?"

"Do you feel up to helping me get potions now?"

_Potions?_ Oh, right! That was what had brought him to Twilight Town in the first place. But the store was closed because of the Struggle Tournament, so I hadn't been able to sell him any. It wasn't going to be easy, getting into the store; my boss was mega paranoid and had an electronic lock. Fortunately for Riku, I knew how to bypass it. I told him all this before we headed to the Marketplace area of the town, where the sky was dark and the people were still absent. Struggle was going to come to an end soon, so we had to work quickly.

"So I can't just unlock this thing with my Keyblade?" Riku asked, his voice hushed as we approached the store that I spent my days at.

"No," I whispered, pulling my work key-card out of my back pocket. It was actually lucky I had it; I had brought it with me today by mistake, the card in the pocket of my jeans when I went to the beach with my friends. "It's electronic."

"Can I smash it?"

I whirled around at that, the shock written on my face. However, when I saw Riku's smirk, I knew that he was joking. Or, at least, he knew now that it wasn't an option and he pretended to joke. "Yeah, no," I said, shaking my head.

"Please?"

"**Riku!"** I scolded, lifting my free hand and smacking his arm. This wasn't a time to joke; if we were caught doing this, then I would surely lose my job.

"Yeah?" he asked innocently, arching a brow at me.

"Shut up."

I turned around towards the shop and turned my keycard in the opposite way of what it was meant to go, planning on creating a glitch in the system that would let me in. It was strange, but if I swipe the card backwards three times, waited twenty seconds, and then swiped it again, the shop door would open. And the best part? My boss wouldn't know that it was my keycard.

The catch? Of course there was a catch; things are never that easy. The problem was that I would have a limited amount of time to get in and out, and I would have to edit the inventory sheet inside the shop so my boss wouldn't notice the missing items. Even if Riku was paying for them, my boss would have a fit if I broke in.

And something else to make it more difficult (because you know that's how things work in life)? Riku needed fifteen of 'em. Fifteen. It wasn't going to be easy, making that transaction secretly, in the dark, and in less than three minutes.

Ah, but what's life without a little bit of a challenge, right?

"Remember what I told you," I whispered to Riku, glancing over my shoulder at him. His smirk was gone now, for he must have seen how serious I was. He nodded in response to me, which encouraged me to speak. "Ready? Here we go." I flipped my keycard and swiped it through three times, then looked down to my cell phone, which was on a timer. As soon as I saw the time pass, I swiped it through one more time, hearing the door buzz softly the way that it did when an employee gained access. "Yes!"

"Stephanie, what do you think you're doing?"

Crap.

I turned around, my eyes catching onto my overweight, short boss waddling over to me and Riku. I knew then, by the look in his brown eyes, that I was in serious trouble. I stuck my keycard in my back pocket, knowing that this would possibly be the last time I ever held it on me.

"Mr. Smith…"

"Breaking in, eh? I should have known better than to trust a juvenile to work at my shop-"

"—I can explain…"

"Don't interrupt me!" Mr. Smith boomed, his anger making me wince and cower back half a step. Beside me, Riku remained silent. "You teenagers think everything in the world belongs to you. It all revolves around you, because you're selfish, unworthy bugs!"

"Bugs, sir?"

"I said not to interrupt!" I took another step back at my boss's holler, incidentally touching my arm with Riku's. Mr. Smith, however, ignored Riku completely and kept yelling at me. "You think I don't pay you enough, so you break in at night and steal stuff for yourself, is that it?"

"No, I-"

"That's exactly it!" he shouted, his face redder than a tomato. That was something I could see even in the dark, and through the tears that had formed in my eyes. I was going to lose my job…"You're just too cowardly to admit it. If you think you have any chance of saving your job after this, you're sadly mistaken!"

I bit down on my lip, lowering my head and turning to the side a little in hopes I could avoid the verbal slap in the face. _I'm so fired…My mom is gonna kill me._

"That's not what happened," Riku said, speaking for the first time.

"Who the heck are you? Her partner?" Mr. Smith said through his teeth, holding back his anger for some unknown reason. Still, enough of it came through that I was surprised when Riku didn't back down.

"A customer."

"Huh?" Mr. Smith and I both said, though mine was probably soft enough that my boss didn't hear it. I looked up at Riku, wondering where in the world he was going with this.

Riku glanced at me before he looked back at my boss, his voice calm. "I'm from out of town, and I really needed some potions. I offered your employee double what they're worth if she would sell them to me tonight. She figured that she was making an excellent business deal, which explains why she was getting into the store tonight."

"Eh?" Mr. Smith, tilting his head to the side slightly as if he were a dog interested in a piece of fried chicken. "How many potions were you buyin'?"

"Fifteen."

"F-f-fifteen!" my boss exclaimed, his face now flushed with excitement instead of anger. "T-that's…a lot! A lot of potions, I mean," he elaborated, though his facial expression obviously showed he had been referring to something else: money. He turned to me, his eyes bright with greed. "Sell this man his potions, Steph! I'll even through in five for free, since he's getting such a handsome amount."

"Y-yes sir," I said, rushing inside the store. I pulled out twenty potions and put them all into a bag, while eavesdropping on my boss giving Riku praise outside the store for buying so much and paying double the original price. I was tempted to roll my eyes, but I was too relieved that my boss was putting me to work instead of firing me like he threatened. I walked out of the store with the bag in my hand, extending it towards Riku. "Here you are."

"Thank you," Riku said formally, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the money necessary to pay for the large number of potions. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my boss's eyes bug out at the sum of the money. For dramatic effect, I took my time counting it, aware that Mr. Smith was squirming, wanting to steal the money out of my hands and cry tears of joy. When I saw Riku had given me the correct change, I silently nodded and entered the dark store again, heading for the register. I put in the money and then came back out to see my boss shaking Riku's hand.

"Ah, Steph," Mr. Smith said to me, releasing Riku's hand from his enthusiastic handshake. "You can take the day off tomorrow. You deserve it for, uh, going the extra mile for customer service."

_You mean going the extra mile to make you more money,_ I mentally corrected him, tempted to roll my eyes again. "Thank you sir," I said instead, knowing that it was better for me to keep my thoughts to myself on this matter. Riku had just saved my job, so being rude to my both would be rude considering he worked so hard for me to not get in trouble.

Mr. Smith nodded to me and then walked off in the opposite direction, leaving me standing in awe next to Riku. For a while, we just stood in silence, until my boss was completely out of sight.

I sighed, turning to Riku and wrapping my arms around him from the side. "You are **officially** my hero," I said, approval and relief present in my voice. He saved my job, and without freaking out or yelling at my aggravating boss. Incredible.

Riku chuckled, wrapping an arm around me in a friendly manor. "Hey, I couldn't let you lose your job; you were breaking in because of me, remember?"

I thought about it for a moment, pulling back my arms and looking up at him. "Yeah, I guess I was. In that case…" I pulled out my arm and whacked him, the smack actually making a loud noise.

"Ow?"

"Don't you ever get me in trouble with my boss again," I scolded, my eyes narrowed as I looked up at him. "Do you know how close I was to losing my job?"

"Yes."

"Riku!" I whined, shifting my gaze to the ground beneath my feet. He didn't seem to know how important this job was; not only did it keep me out of my mother's hair, but it kept her out of mine. It was best this way, so I could avoid her and do something productive at the same time. It was the only way to avoid her scolding. "Oh, forget it," I sighed. There was no point trying to explain it to him. Besides, my head was killing me by this point.

"Okay."

I brought a hand to my head, lightly pressing two fingers against my temple while trying not to make it obvious. Having the attention on me was something I always tried to avoid, since I'm naturally a shy person and hate having people notice me.

"You okay?"

I shut my eyes, realizing that either I was really bad at hiding things, or Riku was really good at seeing through a charade. Maybe it was a little bit of both. "Just a headache," I said softly, though that was probably obvious as well. Why else would I have my fingers on my temple?

"I'll take you home," Riku offered. "You really don't look so good…"

I shook my head, both at the second statement and the offer he made to me. "You don't want to meet my mom," I said, opening my eyes and looking at him. The concern in his eyes was obvious, and it made me blush a little bit. "Trust me, that would be awful." Having a stranger (well, a stranger to my mom) escort me home? She would have freaked out.

"…Alright, if you're sure," Riku said, though he didn't sound too sure himself. "You should go. Get some rest."

"Riku?" I asked without thought, a sudden question coming to my mind. When I was sure he was listening, I spoke again. "You'll come back, right?" I didn't want to say goodbye now, especially not now that I knew more about him. If anything, I wanted to see him more, so that I could unravel the other mysteries around him.

"Of course I'll be back," Riku told me with a weak smile. "Nothing's changed, Steph. Things have always been this way."

And by "this way", Riku obviously meant that he had always wielded the Keyblade. My knowledge of such things didn't change anything, so I was glad to hear that he wouldn't avoid me now. Still, as much relief as it brought me, it also made me feel uncomfortable for some reason. I didn't ponder it, though, my head aching too much for me to think straight.

"'Kay," I said with a weak smile. "I'll see you later, then."

"Yeah. See ya."

After a few seconds, I turned around, folding my arms in front of me as I headed for home. I didn't bother turning around until I was almost out of the area, and by the time I looked, Riku was already gone.


	5. Chapter 5: Ambush

Chapter Five: Ambush

Fourth place. That was the place that I finished in the Struggle Tournament. The night following the one when I broke into the store with Riku, the matches were completed, and after I fought and won two of them, I lost in the quarterfinals. That was alright with me, though; I had lost to somebody who was a better fighter than me, and it had been a fair match.

The last match was just finishing up now, the two competitors fighting underneath the lights that lit up the stage. The crowd was on their feet, and I was up as well, since I didn't want to stand out. And besides, it truly was a good match since the fighters were equally matched.

I smiled as the crowd cheered, a kid named Jeremy getting in a great hit on his opponent. Jeremy was popular around Twilight Town, and he was a considerate guy who always helped people when it came to fighting the Heartless. I wasn't really friends with him, though; he was about five years older than I was, so we didn't have too many things in common.

"Jeremy is the Struggle Champion!" the referee shouted, bringing me out of my thoughts. The match was over now, Jeremy standing victorious and offering his friend a handshake. Again, I felt a smile appear on my lips; I loved seeing good sportsmanship.

The crowd went wild, the cheering almost completely blocking out what the ref was trying to say. Heck, I was right by the stage speakers and I could hardly hear him.

"Thanks—congratulations—great win—see you next year, everyone!"

Eventually, everyone calmed down, the screaming quieting down enough so that people could have normal conversations. I turned to my group of friends, who were all gushing over the matches that had been fought tonight. They spoke about my match (which was a pretty good one, if I do say so myself), and John's, since he fought as well. He came in fifth, but we were never paired against each other. I was glad for that; that match would have been just plain awkward.

My friends stayed around chatting for a while, but I honestly wasn't paying attention to a word they were saying by this point. It was getting late, and we were some of the last ones around since everyone else headed for home.

"Hey, guys, I gotta go," I finally said, breaking into the conversation when the time seemed decent. "I have work in the morning."

"Ohhh, that sucks," Emily said, frowning at that.

"No kidding."

"You should quit that job," Jessica told me, her facial expression showing that she was serious. At the same time, though, she couldn't fully comprehend that I was forced to have a job by my mom.

"Ah, well, if I don't have work, then the Wicked Witch of the West will cut off my head," I said, half jokingly referring to my mother. She wasn't wicked; she was just…inconsiderate, immature, and snobby. That was all.

"Guess so," Amber said with a sigh. "Well, have fun at work tomorrow. See you around?"

"Yeah. See ya, guys," I said, offering them a faint wave as I turned around and started for the marketplace area. My home was in an odd location; not many people lived in that area. So it was no surprise to me that the marketplace was empty and completely desolate of people. Actually, it was rather creepy.

It's funny to admit this, but I'm actually a little afraid of the dark. I mean, it just holds so many things that nobody can ever see. Who knew what was lurking in the shadows?

However, as I walked across the empty marketplace, I kept my pace regular. What would people have thought if they saw me make a run for it, right? Seriously, that would have been humiliating. There was no way I was going to set myself up to be embarrassed, since I hated attention as it was.

_Swish._

I stopped in front of the stairs by the accessory shop, my eyes wide as I spun around at the noise. "Who's there?" I asked without thought, blinking and squinting slightly to try and see into the darkness of the night. There was nothing there, but I knew that my ears hadn't deceived me. I frowned, taking a few steps away from the stairs. "Hello?"

I heard some more noises, though I couldn't quite identify what they were. I looked down at my feet and gasped, jumping to the side a second before a dark creature sprung up out of the ground. I couldn't see it too well, but I could definitely spot the bright yellow eyes. Heartless.

I had seen this breed before, though I didn't recognize it immediately in the night time. It was called a Neoshadow, and the creature before me sprang up about a foot taller than I was. I'm not short, standing at five feet and seven inches, but this thing was huge. I stared at it and took a step back, my sword appearing in my hand without thought. These things were fast and strong; I couldn't let my guard down.

"Huh?" I cried, seeing two more dark clouds appear on the ground next to the first Heartless. Two more Neoshadows popped up, staring at me with their yellow eyes. I gasped and took a step back only to find that the stairs were right there. I took a few steps and ran into a more open area before I saw another Heartless jump out of the ground, blocking my way. I spun around, my heart racing inside of my chest as I saw several more appear out of nowhere, all of them forming a circle to surround me.

_There's at least ten!_ I thought, staying light on my feet and turning around to keep an eye on all of them. I had never fought so many by myself, or at night. Not good…

One of them leaped at me and I swung at it with my sword, creating a deep gash. However, that wasn't good enough to kill it. I kept whacking at it, aware that the other Heartless were getting in closer. I performed a spin move that knocked all of them back, giving me room to breathe again.

I charged forward and slashed through the one that first attacked me, killing it. I spent the next few minutes disbanding the rest of them, though I wasn't able to easily defeat all of them.

_Not good,_ I thought for the ten millionth time, ducking to avoid a Neoshadow that jumped right over my head. I pointed my sword to the sky, feeling my heart grow warm with a spell. _**Lightning!**_

The bolts rained down from the sky, randomly striking the Neoshadows and the ground. A few of them squirmed backwards, one or two of them dissolving into smoke when the spell was strong enough to kill them off.

A gasp left my lips when I felt one of the tear its claws into my back. I stumbled forward, my sword loosely in my grip as I tried to recover. But that wasn't the end of my troubles.

Another Neoshadow hit me from the side, sending me through the air and against a wall of a building nearby. I fell onto my side, a groan leaving my lips when my head hit the cold, hard ground. My sword was loosely in my grip, though I couldn't lift my arm because of the pain my muscles were in. I squeezed my eyes shut, seeing a Heartless leap in for the final blow as my world faded to black.

"Mom, I'm fine," I protested, smacking her hand away when she tried to feel my forehead for the tenth time in less than five minutes. I was lying down in my bed now, the sunshine of a new day pouring into my room.

"You could have been killed last night!" Mother scolded, frowning at me as she stood upright by my bedside. "What were you thinking, walking home alone at such a late hour?"

"I was thinking, 'gee, if I walk home alone, maybe some Heartless'll ambush me and knock me unconscious!'"

"Don't get smart with me."

I sighed, shaking my head against the back of my pillow. "I wasn't thinking about Heartless, Mom. It's been a while since I've run into _one_ of them, let alone a dozen at once." I wasn't the only one who hadn't seen them in such large numbers; that ambush was the first one in a month of two that actually captured the attention of the whole town. _Figures that it would happen to me._

"Yeah, well, just be glad you only have a concussion," my mom said, turning and heading out of the room. "Things could have been much worse if John hadn't shown up."

She slammed the door shut behind her and I relaxed deeper into the bed, a groan leaving my lips as I shut my eyes. That was a loud noise, and it only made my headache worse. _Thanks Mom._ I exhaled a silent breath, allowing the memories of the previous night take over my mind again.

_A sickening thud. That was the noise that I heard when my body was knocked against the brick building. I landed on my side and fingered the sword in my grasp, though I couldn't feel the texture of the hilt too well because of the unbelievable pain. I may have broken my arm._

_Before I could focus on that, though, I looked up, seeing the three remaining Neoshadows staring at me with bright yellow eyes. I felt the panic rising up inside me as I tried to sit up, only to fall back down onto my side because of the dizziness. I must have hit my head against the ground. _

_I shut my eyes just as a Heartless leaped at me, and I didn't bother lifting a hand to defend myself. It was over._

_But I didn't die. I came out of my stupor in time to see a figure standing in front of me, his sword cutting through a Heartless and destroying. I watched the scene with half-opened eyes, seeing the silhouette fight through the other two of them without taking any injuries himself. I didn't bother trying to figure out his identity; the moment he turned to face me, I knew. John._

_I shut my eyes, my head pounding too much for me to keep them open. I was going to pass out again…I knew it. The last thing I was aware of was John picking me up in his arms and carrying me home._

I opened my eyes, blushing at the memory as I stared up at the ceiling. I don't know why John was there to save me last night; his home isn't anywhere near mine. He did give a reason to my mom last night when he brought me to my house, though—He said that he had heard a commotion from the Marketplace and went to check it out. He had gotten there just as I was knocked against the building, and so he jumped in.

My mom said I was lucky he was there, and I agree. If it hadn't been for him, I would have died. It's very…disturbing, looking death in the face and surviving. I hadn't expected to meet the Heartless at all, let alone nearly die.

I rolled over onto my side, shutting my eyes as I tried to chase the thoughts away. I didn't want to think about that; I had come dangerously close to death, and I wasn't ready to die. I'm seventeen! I'm not supposed to be concerned with death or dying.

I sighed, my pounding headache calling me to sleep.

It was two days later, and I still felt awful. I called out sick from work three days in a row, the first being the day I first woke up after the incident. Today, I was still in my bed and unable to do much because of the headache. My friends had come over yesterday, but I hadn't been too talkative at the time. I felt bad, but at least I had a chance to thank John for saving my life. He just mumbled a "you're welcome", though, before things got shy and awkward for a moment.

Oh well, in the long run, it really didn't matter. If there was one thing I learned from that attack, it was that life was short and I couldn't worry about the small things all the time.

One thing that I couldn't stand, though, was this small headache that nagged me constantly. I climbed out of bed, dragging my feet as I walked to my bedroom door. "Mom!" I called hoarsely, knowing that she was in her office down the hall. "Did you buy any more pain medication?"

"Nope. Go out and buy it yourself!"

I leaned against the doorway of my bedroom, my head against the frame as I shut my eyes. I should have expected her to not buy some; I had told her almost twenty four hours ago that we were almost out, and she still hadn't bought more. Figures. "Mom, I feel like crap!"

"Don't care. Get your butt outta bed and go get it yourself!"

I groaned, walking back into my bedroom and shutting the door behind me. There was no point arguing with my Mom; she wouldn't give in and get me the medicine even if I was dying. I slipped on a pair of blue jeans and a black tank-top underneath my deep purple sweatshirt, which kept me feeling warm and cozy. I put on some flip-flops, grabbed my wallet, and then was on my way, heading downstairs and out the front door of my house.

I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my sweatshirt, my eyes widening faintly when I realized that my hair was probably a mess. I forgot to do it! I smoothed out my hair and pulled out a ponytail-holder, pulling my hair back into a messy bun. My bangs came out, but oh well; they didn't look too bad. Besides, I was out to get medicine, not a date.

Fortunately for me, the medicine shop isn't in the main Marketplace; it's at the top of the hill before the shopping area in an area called the Station Heights. If my boss would have seen me out, then he surely would have had a fit. _You're too sick to work, but you can walk around and buy medicine? What a load of bull!_ That was what I imagined him saying, or at least thinking to himself.

I approached the counter of the store, seeing a woman who I associated with every once in a while because of her friendship with my mom. "Hi, Janice," he said softly, stopping at the front of the counter and pulling out my wallet. "Can I have two bottles of Aspirin?"

"Of course, dear," Janice, the kind, middle-aged woman said as she turned around and reached into a drawer. She pulled out two bottles and set them on the counter, though she didn't tell me the price of the items. "How are you, sweetheart? I heard you had an awful incident a few days ago."

Oh, how I wished she hadn't asked that! It assured me that news of the attack got around town, and everybody was talking about it. Ugh. "I'm recovering," I assured her softly.

"You don't look so good, Hun."

_Because I don't feel good, and I just want to go home and fall asleep,_ I thought, though I didn't say such things aloud. "I'm alright, honest," I said with a soft sigh_. Please, please just tell me what the total is so that I can pay for it and go home. The last thing I want is to be stuck at a shop speaking to my mom's best friend. _They weren't incredibly nice thoughts, but when one is suffering with a bad headache and fatigue, they just wanted to get home and away from people.

"Alright. Your total is 4.24."

I gave her exact change, having had the right amount on me to pay for it. "Thank you," I said quietly, taking the bag she had given to me for the two items.

"You're welcome dear. Say, could you tell your mother I said hello?"

"I will," I assured her softly, turning to leave.

"Steph! Hey!"

I winced at the volume of the voice, turning around and taking a step or two away from the store so that I could intercept the boy without Janice eavesdropping too much. "Sora?"

"Yeah," Sora said, his run coming to a halt in front of me. He seemed a little breathless, but he didn't give me enough time to ask him about it. "What're you doing? Not working today?"

I shook my head softly, tightening the grip on the small bag in my hand without thought. He probably hadn't heard about what happened, and that was perfectly alright with me. I surely didn't want anybody else fussing over it, since it's not like the incident took a life that night. It could have, but it didn't. "I called out sick," I said quietly.

"Oh," he said, leaving things at that when I didn't offer him an explanation as to what I was sick with. "Well, Riku was looking for you."

_Riku?_ I felt my heart skip a beat in my chest at the name. "Where is he?" I asked without thought, figuring that I would focus on the conversation instead of my thoughts.

"He's in the Marketplace stocking up on stuff."

_Of course he is,_ I thought. _Why else would he come to this place other than the great Marketplace? _Those were my initial thoughts, which covered up the deeper ones that sometimes came into my mind. "Well, I can't really head down there," I said, shaking my head a little. "My boss is covering my shift, so if he sees me out…" I didn't even bother finishing my sentence; it was obvious by the way that I said things that it wouldn't work out well for me to be seen.

"Got it," Sora said with a nod. "Is there any place you guys can meet? I'll send him in your direction."

"Um…" There weren't too many places in the town where people were unnoticed, but I could think of one. "You know your way around the Underground Concourse?" I asked, looking up at Sora after glancing down at the ground in the middle of the question. The Underground Concourse was a series of tunnels that ran under the town, but nobody really used them because of the train that was available.

"Yup," he immediately said. "I'll bring Riku down; I don't think he knows the area too well."

"'Kay," I said with a nod. "See you down there."

Sora gave me a wave and started off at a run, heading towards the Tram Common. I couldn't help but smile to myself as I headed into the back alley. Sora may have been a Keyblade wielder, but he was still a kid. He was cool, though, and again I felt myself wishing that I could hang out with him more. But, I supposed that he had reasons for not hanging around whenever I spoke to Riku. I didn't know what those reasons were, but maybe someday I would ask about them.

I turned into the entrance of the Underground Concourse and headed down the path, my hands loosely by my side as one of them gently gripped the bag with the Aspirin. It was a pain in the butt to hold onto that thing, but whatever. It's not like I could comfortably put the bottles in my jeans pockets. If I could have, then I would have done it already.

I reached a lower area, a square area that was nearly in the center of the Underground Concourse. It was empty and deserted, as I had expected.

_Swish._

Or maybe not too deserted.

I took a step back towards the wall, my eyes widening when I saw Shadow Heartless rising out of the ground. Terrific. I looked at their nasty yellow eyes, feeling my eyes widen further when I recalled my last fight. Even if it had been against Neoshadows, which were stronger, I still didn't feel ready to fight again.

But the choice was not mine to make.

I dropped the bag off my wrist and summoned my sword just in time to swing at a leaping Heartless, my blade cutting through it and making it dissolve into the air. I could only hope and wish that the rest of the Heartless were defeated this easily.

One of them dropped down into the ground when I swung at it, looking like a shadow with how it crawled without being very dimensional. I winced when one scratched at my leg, but I jumped back, pointing my sword to the sky as I cast a Thunder spell. Most were forced to retreat, but some had managed to avoid the attack. I went after those ones, swinging my sword continuously to vanquish them.

_I hate fighting,_ I thought, slashing through one of the Shadow Heartless. No matter how many I defeated, they just seemed to keep appearing!

"**Steph**!"

I looked up in surprise, hearing a familiar voice call to me from another floor of the area. Riku, and beside him, Sora stood. I sensed a Shadow jump at me and I lifted my sword in defense, but the Heartless never impacted me. Some kind of magic drew the Heartless away from me and towards a purplish sphere in the center of the room. My shocked eyes wandered up to Sora, who had cast the spell, and then to Riku when he shot a bunch of fireballs at all the Heartless that had gathered. Most of them were destroyed in that one attack.

Whoa.

Riku jumped down from his spot, landing on my floor smoothly and then rising fully to his feet in time to slash through another Heartless. I spun around and dealt with a monster of my own, hearing Sora come down as well and fight. In less than a minute, they were all defeated, and the area was only occupied by the three of us.

I leaned against the wall behind me, summoning my sword away and breathing heavier than usual due to adrenaline.

"You alright?" Sora asked, taking a few steps and standing in front of me. I lifted my head and saw Riku there as well, Sora's big feet having been noticed before Riku's.

"Yeah," I breathed, giving them a nod.

"You look terrible," Riku said, his eyes boring into mine. I blushed and lowered my gaze, feeling embarrassed that he had noticed such a thing. I couldn't help that my concussion made me look this way, though.

"Way to charm her, Riku," Sora mumbled, though it was loud enough for me to hear as well. I looked up at Sora's sarcasm, seeing Riku also turn to Sora in surprise.

"I didn't mean…uh…well, you do look pretty bad," Riku said, shifting his gaze to me when he spoke about me. "Here, let me get out a potion."

"I'm not wounded," I said, making him stop in his tracks. I didn't want him wasting a potion on me; I had no wounds that a potion could take care of. It was that stupid concussion.

"Then why do you look so terrible?"

"Riku!" Sora scolded, frowning up at his taller friend.

Riku looked over at his best friend, realizing the mistake he had made once again. "Why do you look so…horrible?"

"Nope."

"So strange?"

"Try again."

"Why do you look like you were run over by a truck?"

"You seriously have no idea what you're saying, do you?" Sora asked in disbelief, bringing a hand to his face. Despite Sora's reactions and Riku's…uh, poor choice in words, I actually found the whole thing humorous, though I stayed silent throughout the whole interaction.

Riku sighed, turning to me. "What's wrong?" he finally asked, his question sounding better without any adjectives.

I lowered my gaze at the question, my eyes wandering to the bag I had dropped on the ground a few feet away. The medicine would have cured the now monstrous headache I had, but I couldn't take them right away because I didn't have water. And besides, I was with friends; it would have been weird if I just picked up the pills and swallowed them without telling them what was up. "…I have a concussion," I confessed, looking back up just in time to see Riku's eyes grow a little wider.

"Is it my fault?"

"What'd you do?" Sora asked, tilting his head slightly and looking up at his best friend.

"…I shoved her into a wall."

"You know how to treat the ladies, don't ya?" Sora asked sarcastically, though his voice showed he didn't mean to offend Riku. And Riku wasn't offended anyway, his response answering Sora's first question instead of the rhetorical one.

"Some boy from town was bitter she defeated him in a Struggle match. He rushed at her with his sword and she wasn't ready to defend herself. So I shoved her into the wall to get her out of the way."

Sora blinked in surprise, obviously not sure how to respond to that. "Oh."

"So, was that what caused the concussion?" Riku asked, looking back at me.

I shook my head, my eyes wandering to the ground before they went back up to Sora and Riku. "Um…it was a Heartless ambush."

"_**What?**_" Riku hissed, though he obviously wasn't angry or upset with me. It was the Heartless that he held bitterness towards, and he didn't even know what happened.

I looked down at the floor, the light no longer in my eyes and causing my headache to grow. "I was walking home alone and at least a dozen Neoshadows came out of nowhere," I said softly. "I fought for a while, but…I was knocked unconscious. Somebody found me just in time and finished them off."

Riku brought a hand to his forehead, turning and walking away a few steps before he stopped. "How many days ago was this?"

"Um…it was three, I think."

"You** think**?"

I winced at the tone, knowing that I had given him the impression I was unsure of things. That surely made him think that my concussion was much worse than it already was. "It's not that I forget," I told him. "I just haven't been keeping track of the days too much. I've been asleep most of the past few days."

"Riku, chill out," Sora said, turning around halfway to look at his best friend.

"You know how bad it could have been if somebody hadn't come?" Riku said in an aggravated, worried tone.

I lowered my head, looking down at the ground. "Trust me, I know," I said softly. It was all I was hearing these days, and honestly, the memories still haunted me and frightened me, even more so than they had when it occurred. I almost died.

Riku was silent after this, though his footsteps were not. He set his hand on my shoulder and I looked up, seeing the concern in his eyes. "You okay?" he finally asked, though the answer was one that I didn't want to give directly. So I gave him another one instead.

"…I will be."


	6. Chapter 6: Shock

**Quick author's note: Hey there readers, thank you so much for all the reviews so far! It's really awesome how many I got for the last chapter. But I would always love more, so if you're reading this without reviewing, please take a minute and write something up for me! It's very inspiring. =D**

**This is, without a doubt, the best chapter so far guys. So enjoy! **

Chapter Six: Shock

Two days after I met with Riku and Sora, the rest of the symptoms of my concussion disappeared, allowing me to go back to work today. As much as I hated my job, I was glad to be working again; it meant that I could get away from my mother. That's an awful way to think, but that's just how things were.

I leaned against the counter, my elbow on the surface of it and my hand on my face as I leaned against it. "I'm so bored," I murmured, though nobody was around to hear my complaint. That was the way things were meant to be, though; not many people were around when I complained, since I generally tried to be a positive person.

Lately, though, it's been a little hard to do that. I mean, fighting with my mom is one thing, but all the Heartless appearing in town has everyone pretty spooked. I'm not the only one who has dealt with them lately; a few people have encountered them. Thankfully, though, nobody has been killed or seriously injured.

Despite that, the Mayor knows that things are getting worse. That's why he encouraged everyone to stay home through the local radio station, saying that until they knew what the cause of the uprisings were, people needed to be cautious.

That also explained why the marketplace was so empty today.

The only reason that I was working was because people needed to buy potions. Every person in town was stocking up on them, coming out in large groups so that they wouldn't be alone when the Heartless attacked. They had clearly learned from my mistake, though I hadn't. I still walked by myself to different places, but I know that I'm not really "alone"; there are people all over town watching out for others. It makes me feel warm inside, knowing that people care for each other.

I brought my hand off my face, sitting more upright on my stool when I saw a load of people enter the marketplace. The majority of them headed over the armor shop, but a young mother and her daughter walked over to my store.

"Hi, Nicole," I said to the mother, offering her a soft smile. "Hey Megan," I said to her daughter, seeing the four year old clinging to her mother's hand and gazing up at me with big green eyes. I smiled gently at her before I looked to Nicole, my eyes finding hers. "What can I get you?"

"Eight Potions and two Ethers, please," she said politely, returning my smile with a weak one of her own.

I nodded to her, turning around and gathering the items for her. Nicole and I had met before; she was active in a child's daycare service that the town offered. I used to volunteer there before I had a job, and I constantly wished that I could still serve there; at least that job was productive.

"Here you go," I said, setting the bag on the counter in front of me. "That'll be-"

_Swish._

I heard a lone scream break out from across the marketplace, and then loads more when people began to panic. My eyes widened as I looked all over the area, seeing Neoshadows and other forms of Heartless spawning all over the area. My gaze then shifted to the larger group of people by the armor shop, seeing a few people flee while others stood huddled behind a few people who had swords. Nicole, though…

I saw Nicole and Megan in front of me, the girl clinging to her mother with wide, fright-filled eyes. Nicole gasped and I followed the direction of her head, seeing some Heartless starting over in this direction. I didn't hesitate in climbing over the counter, coming out on the other side and stepping in front of Nicole and Megan as my sword materialized in my grasp.

One of the Heartless jumped at me immediately, but I slashed back at it, sending it flying back a few feet. "Leave us alone!" I shouted without thought, both my hands coming to the hilt of my sword as I got into a battle stance. They couldn't attack, not now. There was an innocent four year old behind me!

When the Heartless didn't lunge at me again, I looked over my shoulder, seeing Nicole kneeling on the ground and holding her daughter close. My heart broke at the fear in Nicole's eyes, and Megan's shaking body. But then, I began to feel anger. No,** fury** is more like it. How could the Heartless hurt two nice people like this?

I made a vow right then and there, even if nobody else could hear it. I would protect innocent people, even if I died trying. It was the least I could do for other people, especially since I would want people to do the same for me if the time ever came.

I grounded my teeth together, shielding Nicole and Megan as another Heartless jumped at me and I attacked it in turn, the fight of my life beginning.

The sun was getting lower in the sky, and yet the fighting still continued for what felt like an eternity. But when I had a break, I looked up and saw that the sun wasn't setting; it was getting cloudy. Dark clouds were starting to cover any signs of the bright sky that we normally had, and I had no clue what to make of this.

"Ah," I gasped, feeling a Heartless scratch at my arm. I turned and swung my sword at the creature, vanquishing it in a few attacks. I had been at this for a while now, and I was still protecting Megan and Nicole behind me.

"Stephie!" Megan cried, catching my attention. I turned my head sharply to the side just in time to block a Heartless from attacking Nicole and Megan. I grunted softly and swung at it repeatedly, performing a combo until it was gone.

_I can't do this much longer,_ I thought to myself, taking a step back and standing right in front of Nicole and Megan with my sword raised. Heartless were surrounding us now, and I knew that I was too tired to keep up this fight. Unless I got some help, which wasn't going to happen, then I was toast.

Two Heartless leaped at me, one from my right side and one from my left. I turned to the right and swung at the one Heartless, fully prepared to feel the other Heartless slash at my back because I couldn't defend myself.

But I didn't feel any pain from an attack.

I glanced over my shoulder just as I finished up my foe, seeing another person's weapon going back in the direction it had come from like a boomerang. My eyes followed the weapon to its source, my gaze setting on somebody running over to me.

"Steph!" Sora shouted, rushing over and joining me in front of the shop.

"Sora?" I said in wonder, looking at him when he stopped beside me with his own Keyblade in his grasp. "What're you doing here?"

"No time to talk," he said shortly, for the first time being absolutely serious with me. "Let's finish these guys up quick."

I turned to see a few Neoshadows rising up out of the ground and I nodded to Sora's request, getting back into my battle stance. There weren't many at all, so I knew that with Sora's help, I would be able to protect Nicole and Megan. And then maybe they could escape and be safe so that I could help out other townspeople.

I saw Sora rush forward to attack a Heartless, but I remained put and let one come to me, knowing that Nicole and Megan were depending on me to protect them. I slashed through one Heartless and then pointed my blade to the sky, a spell coming to mind. _**Thunder!**_ I mentally shouted, lightning raining down on the Heartless in the area. Sora took advantage of the attack and went after some stunned Neoshadows while I went for one that had somehow been missed by the spell.

I finished up with the Heartless in a minute, so I looked to Sora when I noticed that no more were attacking me. He was just finishing one up himself, and when he defeated it, I saw a Heart come out of the creature's smoke and rise up into the sky. _That's strange,_ I thought, having never seen that type of thing before. _What-?_

"Steph," Sora said, snapping me out of my thoughts. He stood right in front of me, his blue eyes piercing directly into mine with a seriousness and worry that I had never seen the light-hearted boy show before. "You gotta get out of here. This battle can't be won."

I shook my head instantly at that, not willing to give up. This was my home, and I would fight to protect it even if things appeared to be hopeless. "I'll keep fighting no matter what."

Sora shook his head frantically, glancing at Nicole and Megan behind me as if their presence was stopping him from saying something. I took the hint and turned to them, kneeling down a little bit to look at Megan. "You two should go," I said softly, glancing out of the corner of my eye to see that there was a path they could take to get to their home. "Go home and stay there until the Heartless are gone."

Nicole nodded shakily, rising to her feet and holding onto only Megan's hand now. "God bless you," she said shakily, looking to me with so much gratitude in her eyes that I was forced into offering her a gentle smile.

"Stay safe," I told them, motioning in the direction of their home with my head. This was a dangerous place, so I wanted to be sure that they could get away while they could and not be forced into a bad position like they had been before. Nicole nodded once again and then started at a light run, gripping Megan's hand tightly as they ran off.

"You can't stay here," Sora said, bringing my attention back to him. I turned my head towards him, meeting his serious blue eyes with my own.

"We've been dealing with them a lot lately," I said, referring to the Heartless. The past two days had been full of Heartless battles for everyone, so this invasion wasn't anything that we hadn't seen coming. I, and the rest of the town's fighters, had been preparing for something of the sort. "We can take 'em."

"Steph, you're not getting it!" he said, some frustration coming through in his tone. I stayed silent at that, not knowing how to respond to this side of him. "Look up at the sky," he ordered, looking up himself. I obeyed the order, my eyes widening with I saw the dark cloud nearly covering the entire sky. I had noticed it earlier, but this was much worse than it had been.

"This isn't just a Heartless attack," he said, looking at me at the same time that I lowered my head and looked to him. "It's much worse than that."

"What is it?"

"No time to explain," Sora said again, showing how big of a rush he was in. "Look, Riku's waiting for you halfway between here and The Usual Spot," he told her, pointing in the right direction up the ramp that eventually led to the train station.

"Riku? Why?"

"Steph, I don't have time to tell you!" he said more loudly, agitation again coming through in his voice. I was frozen at his tone, having never heard him flip out on anybody before. Apparently he saw that I was stunned, so he softened the tone of voice he used with me. "This is a dangerous situation," he informed me, speaking more calmly than before. "Right now, you need to trust me and Riku. Go."

I hesitated for one second before I nodded, immediately bringing a relieved facial expression to Sora's face. "You need to go, **now**. Riku's gonna kill me for taking so long."

"I doubt that," I said with a very weak smile. Riku and Sora were best friends, so I knew that he wouldn't ever hurt his friend in any way, let alone do something like kill him.

"You don't know Riku, then," he said, frowning in seriousness. I was about to question what that was supposed to mean, but Sora spoke again. "Now go!"

I nodded once to him before I turned and started running, my sword still by my side as I passed by a lot of ongoing battles. It took a lot of self-restraint to not stop and help them, but I knew that I had to trust Sora's words and run to meet Riku. But…where was Sora going to be if not with me?

While running, I looked over my shoulder, seeing Sora defending a group of people from the Heartless. My heart broke at the fact that he was defending a group of elementary school girls, who looked terrified by everything that was going on.

_This town doesn't deserve Heartless,_ I thought, pausing in my tracks without thinking about it. There were so many innocent people here; so many children…and they were suffering because of this. _It's not fair! _

I broke away from my thoughts and regretfully moved forward, running up the remainder of the incline. I saw that, like the Marketplace, this area was filled with Heartless as well, and people battling them. My eyes wandered to one person right by the entrance to the area, who was slashing through an enemy. Again, the creature's heart floated up into the sky when it was defeated. _What the-?_

Riku turned to face me, seeing that I was looking up at the heart in the sky. "Good, you made it," he said, his eyes staring at me so intently that I lowered my gaze and looked to him, a million questions in my eyes.

"What's going on?" I immediately asked, needing to know. The sky was only getting darker as we stood there, and a sense of impending doom suddenly fell down over the area. I felt frightened now, now that I hadn't been earlier. I was** really** scared, not only because I didn't know what was going on, but because of the urgency that shone in Riku's eyes.

"We gotta go," he said to me, glancing up at the sky before looking to me again. "There isn't much time."

"_What_? Go where?"

"Steph," Riku said, looking me in the eye seriously. "**Trust me**."

Unlike what I did when Sora told me to trust him and Riku, I responded by nodding immediately. As likable as Sora was, I didn't know him as well as I knew Riku, if I knew either of them at all. There were so many mysteries behind those two, and I had a feeling that this was a time where they both knew much more than I did about this.

"C'mon," Riku demanded, grabbing my arm and starting to run up the ramp. I felt the tug before my feet obeyed, running up with him and avoiding all the fighting that was going on around us.

I couldn't avoid looking around, though, all the action catching my attention. The people fighting in this area were only acquaintances, except for one boy that I went to school with. He wasn't looking in my direction, though, fighting some Heartless.

A gasp left my lips when he was struck down, the Heartless knocking him down to the ground and continuing to attack him. My legs stopped moving and I stared at him with wide eyes, frozen by my shock. That is, until Riku tugged at my arm again, which made me nearly fall over except for the fact that I collided with the side of his body and that saved me from falling.

"Don't stop."

"But-"

"**Come on**."

I followed him when he started running again, his grip on my arm firmer than it had been before. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't have broken free from his iron grip. So, I suppose, that it was a good thing that I didn't want to break free. However confused I was, I knew that I needed to trust him and keep running forward.

That was the way I thought, until I saw my mother battling some Heartless.

"Mom!" I cried without through, seeing her sword go through an enemy so that it was vanquished.

However, my mother paid no mind to me. Instead, as me and Riku came by, she shouted to him. "Take care of her, you hear? Take care of my daughter!"

"**Mom**!"

Riku tugged me forward, and I had no choice but to lose sight of my mother when we turned up into the area by the train station. My eyes widened further at the sight of it, a ship sitting in the middle of the otherwise empty area. Again, I was tempted to freeze in shock, but Riku kept bringing me closer to it, though we didn't go inside. We stopped a few yards away, where Riku released his grip on my arm.

My sword vanished out of my grasp as I brought up the hand, rubbing my arm where Riku had previously been gripping so tightly. He paid no mind, though, looking around the area. It was no mystery to me what he was doing; he was looking for something. No, some_one_.

Where was Sora?

As if on cue, Sora ran up into the area, his Keyblade still in his grasp as he approached us, out of breath.

"You're cutting it close," Riku said tensely, sounding as if he were close to snapping.

"Sorry," Sora said breathlessly. At the same time, he gave me a look that seemed to say_, See? I told you Riku would be upset._ Any other time, I would have smiled at the fact that he could be amused at this time, but things were too tense for me to smile.

Riku shook his head, but didn't speak again before he stepped closer to the strange ship, pushing a button on the side of it that made a ramp come down and touch the ground. I looked at it in awe, having never seen something of the sort. What he said next, though, left me in more awe.

"Get in."

I shifted my gaze to him, seeing him looking directly at me. What? He wanted me to get into the ship? He was taking me away? Where? Why?

I opened my mouth to speak, but by this point, Riku was next to me, his hand on my upper back as he led me not-so-gently into the ship that Sora had entered while I gawked at Riku. I turned to look over my shoulder at Twilight Town, but the door to the ship closed as Riku continued leading me into it. He changed the position of his hand from my back to my shoulder when I was in front of a seat, and he gave me a tap that forced me to sit down into it.

"What-?" I tried, though my voice sounded raw.

Riku didn't bother responding, bending over and tying the straps on my seat without a word. Up ahead of him, I was aware that Sora was in the pilot's seat, doing something that I surely wouldn't understand if I asked him about it at this time.

When I was strapped in, Riku moved to his own seat and did his buckles much more quickly. "Sora, go. Now."

A loud thud came from the ship's engine, the machine starting up and rising off the ground. My wide eyes wandered over the interior of the ship until my eyes saw the window, and my world getting further away from the ship. A gasp of surprise left my lips when we zoomed away, things getting smaller and smaller until I could actually see the whole world in my sight. But that wasn't what left me dumbstruck.

As soon as we were away from it, a dark mist surrounded Twilight Town, covering it to the point where I could hardly even see it. A feeling of complete horror swept over me, and before I realized what I was doing, I unbuckled my seatbelts and went to the window, my eyes stuck on my home, surrounded in Darkness.

"Can you warp us there?"

"Warp device is broken, remember?"

"…So how long?"

"A few hours, probably."

I heard the conversation, but I was too stunned to take any of it in. My home…the place full of people I loved and the place I grew to care for, it was covered in Darkness! And here I was, zooming away from it in some ship.

Everything I gained there was lost.

My friends were gone.

My mom was gone.

My comfortable life was gone.

**Everything** was gone.

After a period of time unknown to me, I sensed that there was somebody behind me. I tore myself away from the window, my world out of sight by this point anyway, to find that Riku was the one there, and he was looking at me with concern in his expression.

But the concern wasn't for my world. It was for **me**.

And that ticked me off more than anything else could have.

"Why are you looking at me that way?" I asked him tensely, my eyes narrowing in frustration. He shouldn't have been worried about me; he should have been worried about my home instead. When he just stared at me, I only felt more frustration and anger inside, which prompted me to continue. "You're more worried about me than my world?"

Riku only responded with silence, his expression not even changing at my different tone of voice.

"I don't get it," I fumed, starting up at him even when my voice shook a little bit. "Why is this happening? What happened to Twilight Town?"

Silence.

"And why me? I'm a normal person; if my world was destroyed, then I should have been there for its destruction. But you took **me** away. Why?"

He only responded with the same look he had been giving me all along: concern.

"Are you even listening?" I hollered, my eyes becoming moist with more emotions than just frustration now. "My home is gone, and you're just staring at me! Why are you doing this! What makes **me** so special that you saved me?"

Nothing.

"Say something!" I ordered, lifting a hand to slap him. Before my hand could land, he reached up and grabbed my wrist, stopping my movement without any problems. A ragged gasp left my lips when he stepped closer to me and pulled me into his arms, his hand releasing my wrist when I was leaning against him.

"You're terrified," Riku said softly in my ear, his voice tender with me.

I felt my anger melt away as the other emotions I had been feeling rose up: fear, sadness, worry, and total sorrow came along with the shock that this incident caused.

I turned my face into Riku's chest, my arms coming around him at the same time as my legs weakened underneath me. I didn't fall in the least, though, Riku's hold on me secure enough to keep me up without a problem.

The tears came out as I sobbed tears of fear and sorrow, my body trembling with the emotions that raged in my heart. I couldn't stop myself from feeling every emotion there was, my feelings coming through in my body language and in my tears.

Eventually, Riku lowered both of us to the ground, his arms still wrapped around me as he held me close to his body. My tears kept coming for a long while, but eventually I calmed down, my tired body leaning against him when I didn't even bother holding my own weight and we were on our knees. Nothing mattered now that my home was gone. What would become of me? What happened to those I cared about? What was next?

The questions haunted me for a long time, and while I was stuck on those thoughts, Riku just held me, staying silent as I did the same with him. I couldn't find my voice, or the right words to say. Perhaps Riku felt the same.

Strangely, I felt as if I actually fell asleep there on the ground, my tiredness and shock actually making it easier for me to pass out. That was fine with me; it made the questions leave me alone for a little while.

I started to wake up, though, when I felt the slight lurch of the ship we were in when it touched down on the ground. I stirred slightly, but my eyelids were too heavy and my body refused to move. It was then that I felt somebody's arm come under my knees, their arm also coming around my back before I was lifted off the floor of the ship. My head tilted on the person's shoulder, and I knew by the hair that I touched for a second who was holding me. Riku.

I kept my eyes shut, appearing as if I was asleep as I remained slightly limp in his arms. I wasn't trying to deceive him; I was just too out of it to try to wake myself up enough to open my eyes, let alone walk. And besides, I didn't really feel the need to walk since I was being taken out of the ship now and into an area that the air was warmer and smelled of salt.

"Sora! Riku!" a female voice called, getting louder as the source of the shout came closer to the three of us. The footsteps slowed to a stop, and I sensed that whoever spoke a few seconds ago was standing right in front of Riku and Sora, who had come to a stop. "Oh my…What happened?"

"We couldn't stop it, Kairi," Sora said softly, sadness recognizable in his voice. Unknown to me, the girl, Kairi, shifted her gaze from her boyfriend to me in Riku's eyes, her look soft and gentle.

"Is this her?" Kairi asked, her volume matching Sora's. I felt Riku's hair lightly against the top of my head, the motion her performed being one of a nod. "Is she okay?"

"She passed out on the ship," Riku responded matter-of-factly. "Probably from shock…"

"…"

"Can I take her to your house?"

"Of course," Kairi responded quickly, almost as if she had been expecting the question.

I felt Riku start walking again, and Kairi lingered to walk behind the two of us so that she and Sora could hold hands. I didn't know exactly where I was going, and I didn't care, my mind growing fuzzy again as I suddenly felt sleepy.

That wasn't the only thing I felt, though. For a split second, I thought I felt Riku lower his head and set his cheek on the top of my head before he moved away. It was then that reality faded away from me, my consciousness disappearing as I was surrounded by silence and darkness.


	7. Chapter 7: The Truth

**Author's note: Sorry this is a week late, guys. I've been SO swamped with schoolwork lately that I haven't had much time to write. But this is a very good chapter, so hopefully that'll make up for its lateness. =) Enjoy, and please review! **

Chapter Seven: The Truth

Darkness. That was all that surrounded me in my unconsciousness. No thoughts haunted me, though the feelings of sadness stayed with me during that whole period. My home was gone; I had no place to be, and no people to be with. It felt as if my life had come to an end. Well, at least, life as I knew it had come to an end.

Was that such a bad thing? I had never been content with my life in Twilight Town; the people were shallow, my mom and boss harassed me, and there was nothing but drama. Good riddance to that life, right?

No, I never would say such a thing. Even if the people and relationships I had there weren't perfect, I wanted my home. It was still precious to me despite the imperfections, and I never realized how much I loved it all until now, when it was all gone. _You never know what you got until it's gone. _

The blackness of my unconsciousness started to fade away, something from the real world beginning to wake me up from my slumber. I became aware of more things around me, like the fact that a blanket was covering me and I had a pillow under my head. Was I on a bed? I ignored the question, figuring that I would wake up soon enough and find out. I felt the wet rag on my forehead, another hand lightly on the top of my head to keep my bangs out of the way.

I exhaled a breath through my nose, my eyes remaining shut for a few more moments. I needed to wake up now; I needed to know what was going on around me. I furrowed my eyebrows slightly in concentration before I forced my heavy eyes to open, my sight landing on the person who was sitting next to the bed I was laying on and holding the rag to my forehead. Riku.

"Hey," Riku greeted softly, taking the rag and his other hand away now that I was awake. I kept my eyes on him, too tired to even look around the bedroom that I was in. Judging by the conversation I had heard earlier, this was that girl Kairi's room. She was Sora's girlfriend, right?

"Hi," I said quietly, leaving my questions behind. That was all I had right now, and it was frustrating that I was so clueless. But I couldn't do anything about it, so I tried to accept it.

"How're you feeling?"

I lowered my gaze away from Riku's, my sight landing on the bed. "Like a truck ran over me, pulled it into reverse, and ran over me again," I said softly, feeling as if that analogy appropriately conveyed how awful I felt.

Riku stayed silent, and I felt him take his gaze off of me. His silence was no surprise to me now; what was he supposed to say to that?

"Where are we?" I asked in the same soft tone, my eyes going back up to Riku when I asked the question. I knew this must have been Kairi's house, but where was this house?

"We're on my home world, Destiny Islands. This is my friend Kairi's house."

"Sora's girlfriend, right?" I inquired, remembering my thoughts from earlier and the conversation that me and Riku had in Twilight Town before the world was swallowed by Darkness. _My world, it's gone—_

"That's right," Riku confirmed with a nod, breaking through my thoughts when he spoke. I looked into his eyes for a few moments, both of us quiet. There was so much unsaid between us, but I didn't feel right asking questions now. Things may have been at peace around us, but there was still stress, probably because of what I was feeling about my loss.

"I know you have a lot of questions," Riku said softly, again interrupting what was going on in my mind. "And I'll answer them. But first, let's go join Sora and Kairi; they're waiting for us."

I nodded in response to that, my hand coming to the bed as I slowly pushed myself up into a sitting position. I blinked off the dizziness without returning the stare that was still on me, Riku having never taken his eyes off of me. I had to admit, I felt a little unnerved with him looking at me like that, but considering that I had passed out on him earlier, it was understandable that he was gazing at me.

When I was upright, I glanced at Riku before my eyes found the window. "It's nighttime?" I asked without thought, seeing that it was dark outside and the stars were shining in the sky.

"Yeah, it's around midnight."

"…How long was I…?"

"We got here about five hours ago," Riku said, his gaze finally going off of me and to the ground when he spoke. "But you fell asleep about halfway through the ride here."

Saying that I "fell asleep" was inaccurate, but I left it be, since I didn't want to use the correct terminology either. So I simply responded with a nod before I rose to my feet, Riku moving away from the bed so that I could stand. Still, I noticed that he was tense and his hands were extended a little bit in case I fell. "I'm not _that_ clumsy," I said bluntly, seeing Riku still looked prepared to catch me even though I was standing upright.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, though no smile accompanied the tone of voice. I shouldn't have been surprised; this was a serious situation.

"Lead the way," I said, motioning with one of my hands towards the only way out of the room. Riku, obviously knowing the layout of the house, started forward, walking out the door with me right behind him. As we walked through the home, I became aware that it was pretty nice. It was lit up with lights, probably because Riku and I were inside. But I had the impression that Sora and Kairi were right outside, and when we opened the front door, my suspicions were confirmed.

Sora and the girl Kairi were sitting on the beach several yards away, a campfire bright in front of them. I couldn't see either of their faces, though, since the lighting was too dim for me to see details of their features. I blinked when Riku kept walking towards them and I followed after him, my hands going into my pockets when I felt a cool gust of air impact my bare arms.

When we reached the fire, Riku wordlessly sat down on the opposite side of Kairi and Sora, who were holding hands with each other as they sat on the sand. It was then that I noticed Kairi's bright red hair, the fire complimenting it and making her look beautiful. Even in the dim light, though, I could see that she had bright blue eyes a lot like Sora's, only hers were a more violet-blue while Sora's were ocean-blue.

"Hey Steph," Sora greeted from his spot, lifting up a hand and waving at me.

"Hey," I responded softly, sitting down next to Riku in the sand.

"Hi, I'm Kairi," the redhead said, offering me a soft smile from her side of the fire. I already knew her name and who she was, but I smiled weakly and nodded in response to her introduction anyway. She had a voice that showed she was a sweet person, but I had already figured out that she would be that way, since she was Riku's friend. I don't know why, but I guessed that Riku chose his friends carefully. This made me feel even more honored that I was chosen to be a friend of his.

"Riku's told me about you," Kairi continued, her sentence making me arch a brow and turn to face Riku next to me.

Riku shrugged. "Well, you were asleep in her house. I couldn't just say you were a random stranger." I smiled weakly at that, hearing a bit of humor in Riku's voice. But after a moment, his voice turned more serious again. "But now it's time we filled you in on everything that led up to this. You up for it?"

I nodded to that, my smile gone by this point. I needed to know what was going on, or I was going to drive myself nuts with all the questions in my mind.

Riku nodded, glancing at Sora for a second before he turned to look at me. "Sora and I have had our Keyblades for a little over two years," he started. "And since then, we've been fighting to protect different worlds, like yours."

"It's not just protection from Heartless," Sora intervened, having seen that my mouth was open so I could ask a question. "There are beings out there much more sinister than just Heartless."

"The first time the worlds were severely threatened was about two years ago, when a man who called himself Ansem tried to secure Kingdom Hearts for his own benefit."

"Kingdom Hearts?" I asked, lost already.

"Basically it's the Heart of everything," Kairi said, though she shrugged after she said it. "Nobody's quite sure, but whoever rules Kingdom Hearts has endless power at his fingertips."

"This was the logic of another group who started to go after Kingdom Hearts about a year after Ansem was defeated," Riku continued, his eyes on the fire when he spoke to mostly me. "That was Organization XIII. They were incomplete beings, so they believed that if they successfully created their own Kingdom Hearts, they could become complete."

"I'm guessing they failed?"

"Yup," Riku said with a nod. "Sora and I worked separately to bring down the group, but we fought the Organization's leader to defeat him."

"Why? Was it such a bad thing that they wanted to be complete? What did they do wrong?"

Sora looked at me strangely from across the fire as he spoke. "Steph, they were killing people to gain this goal. They threatened to take all the worlds into Darkness just so that they could accomplish their own goals. They may have been pitiful because of their state, but that didn't justify what they did."

"…Oh," I said, feeling a little dumb. But how was I supposed to have known?

Riku nudged me with his elbow, giving me a weak smile and an explanation for Sora's behavior. "Sora has a grudge against them because they kidnapped Kairi and used her as bait for him," he offered, his voice soft but still audible to the couple on the other side of the fire.

"Hate the Organization," Sora mumbled, his comment making Kairi lift her free hand to his arm that was holding her hand. He turned his head to her and met her eyes for a few seconds, but that was all I saw before I diverted my gaze to the fire.

"This is…informative and all," I said softly. "But what does any of this have to do with what happened to my home?"

"Surprisingly, nothing," Riku responded. "But we figured you should have some background about me and Sora before we went into the details."

"It'll make it easier for you to understand now that you know about enemies other than Heartless out there," Sora added, his gaze now on the fire.

"Okay…?" I said, prompting one of them to get on with it. Riku was the one who took the cue.

"Soon after the Organization was defeated, we received a letter from the Ki—er, our friend who keeps order in the Realm of Light. He was also responsible with helping us defeat the Organization."

"His name is King Mickey," Kairi said, "but we just call him 'the King' for short."

"He told us about a new threat," Riku continued. "A dangerous, mysterious crew that nobody even knew about up until this point. They're mostly a threat because nobody can tell what their true intentions are with what they're doing; we can only tell that they're up to no good. "

"For the past few months, Riku and I have been travelling to different worlds and defeating agents from that group," Sora explained. "They had planted different people in various worlds to stir up trouble."

"Why?"

"We don't know," Riku said with a shrug. "None of them would tell us, even after we saved the worlds they were in and took care of the instigators. "

"How big is this group?" I asked in wonder, having caught onto the implication that there were multiple people involved in this. It was unnerving to be a part of this conversation, but I needed to know. At least, I trusted that I needed to know all this, since Riku and Sora had brought it up after I made it a point for them to tell me about my world.

"Big. There were seven that we already defeated and from what we've gathered, there are two or three leaders still out there in their own world and one more agent in another world." Riku paused there, his eyes finding mine when I turned to him. "The last, most powerful agent was in Twilight Town, Steph."

I froze at that, my eyes widening. An incredibly evil person in Twilight Town? **My **Twilight Town? That place had no action at all; there was no reason for some person full of Darkness to stir up trouble in my home. Why my world? Why me?

"That's why Sora and I kept coming back so often," Riku was saying then, his eyes going down to the ground when he spoke. "We kept tracing the Darkness back to your world, but we could never find the agent. Without a doubt, they're the best one out there."

"…Then…the Darkness…"

"…The Darkness that is covering your world is because of that person," Riku said with a soft nod, his eyes having concern behind them at my reaction. But how could I react differently? This was such a shock to me. "We can only assume that they meant to take me and Sora down with the world, but we made it out in time."

"But how would they have known you guys would be there?" Kairi asked, speaking for the first time in a while.

"We'd been stopping in regularly to search for the agent and to stock up on potions," Sora explained, looking to Kairi next to him when he spoke. "And plus, the Darkness swelling there was too much for us to ignore. It was bait to trap us."

"Fortunately for us, we're not taken down easily," Riku said with a frown. "An amateur would have fallen for that trap, but as soon as we landed, we knew what was going to happen. We initially had hopes we could stop it, but it was too strong and without us defeating the agent before the world was lost to the Darkness; it would have been an impossible feat."

I wrapped my arms around my legs, my head hovering over my knees. My head was spinning at all of this, the information almost overwhelming. But I couldn't let it get to me now; there were bigger problems than my nerves here. Nobody was answering the question that I really wanted answered.

"Steph? You okay?" Sora asked from across the fire. I blinked at the voice, my eyes wandering to the brunet. I must have looked bad, but I nodded to him.

"Don't lie," Riku said from next to me. His voice was firm, but I realized that must have been because he didn't believe I was being honest at all. And I wasn't, so I spoke a question that would change the direction of the conversation back to what it was meant to be.

"What's going to happen now?" I whispered, my eyes going to Riku when I spoke.

"Sora and I are going to stick around here for a few days and get a game plan. Then we'll leave to defeat the people responsible and save your world."

I felt hope rise up in me, though I was a little confused. "I thought you said my world was lost already."

"Lost doesn't mean that it's beyond saving," Riku said with a weak, encouraging smile. I still didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but I returned his weak smile with a faint one of my own since I got the gist of the message. Twilight Town wasn't gone forever.

"Did Riku ever tell you that this place was lost to Darkness at one point?" Kairi asked of me. I shook my head, surprised to hear that. And though I kept my eyes on Kairi for her to continue that, Riku was the one who spoke next.

"Sora brought it back," he said, motioning with his head to the boy across the fire. "I tried in my own ways to recover what was lost with this world, but Sora ultimately traveled the right path and got it back."

I nodded to that, though I was curious as to what Riku meant when he said he tried in his own ways to get his world back. But at the same time, he spoke of it as if it was something that he didn't want brought up, so I wasn't about to speak of it. Riku had once told me he had a bad past; maybe that was what he was referring to now.

"This time, though, we'll both be working together to get back Twilight Town," Riku was saying then, breaking through my thoughts. "Right Sora?"

"Yup," the brunet said with a nod. "Two Keyblade Masters means the work gets done twice as fast," Sora said, flashing me a reassuring smile. "You'll have your world back in no time. Promise."

I smiled faintly at Sora's promise, a nod accompanying my smile. "Alright," I said. "It's in your hands, guys." It actually wasn't too hard for me to hand the responsibility over to them—I mean, what was I supposed to do? I didn't know much about the Darkness, or how to fight like Riku and Sora did. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to help them. Or was there?

"What're you thinking?" Riku asked after a few moments, seeing my facial expression.

"There's nothing I can do to help?"

Sora shook his head. "The best thing you can do is have faith that Riku and I can take care of this."

"If you were fighting with us, you'd only be slowing us down," Riku said. I turned to look at him at the harsh comment, seeing that he was only joking around with me. I scoffed and brought up a hand, lightly whacking his arm.

"Thanks a lot," I said sarcastically, obviously referring to Riku's words and not Sora's.

"Seriously, though," Riku said, becoming serious again when he looked me in the eye. "You'll be fine on Destiny Islands for a little while. Kairi is here, and Sora and I are sticking around for a few days before we head out."

"What are you two going to do when you leave?"

"That's why we have to stick around," Riku stated with a sheepish smile. "We're coming up a plan."

"That's not the only reason Riku's staying," Sora muttered to Kairi jokingly. His comment was only responded to by an elbow in his stomach, making him sputter a little bit as he tried to get his breath back. I hadn't heard the comment, so I looked at Sora and Kairi with amused eyes. Beside me, Riku wasn't so amused that Sora said what he did, but he was pleased with Kairi's judgment.

"…Not…fair…"Sora panted, his arms going around his stomach as he looked to the girl next to him.

"That's what you get for speaking out of line, Goof," Kairi said, though she said it as if it were a loving tease instead of the scolding that it really was. I watched as Sora flashed Kairi a cheesy grin, which melted away Kairi's anger and made her smile as well.

"Are they always like this?" I whispered to Riku, leaning over and speaking into his ear so that I didn't disrupt Sora and Kairi. The two of them were being so cute together, and I could see in their eyes that they loved each other. Not even the dim lighting could change how easily I saw their care for each other. It was really sweet, seeing real love instead of all the mushy, shallow stuff I saw back home.

"Pretty much," Riku responded softly. "Except when I do this." He turned to face them and then cleared out his throat. "Hey lovebirds," he called, successfully gaining the attention of a startled Sora and an equally surprised Kairi. A smirk appeared on Riku's lips as he gazed at them, another comment leaving his mouth. "Get a room."

Sora chuckled shyly, lifting a hand and rubbing it over the back of his head as he diverted his gaze to the ground. Beside him, I noticed Kairi looking down at the sand as well and, if I wasn't mistaken, blushing.

"That's how you can change their behavior," Riku said to me, a smirk on his lips as he turned to me. I looked up at him and laughed softly, not sure whether I should have been amused by Riku's antics or feeling bad for Sora and Kairi. I supposed that it was alright for me to feel a combination of the two.

"That wasn't nice," I scolded through my laughter. Riku obviously saw I wasn't really upset, since he joined in and laughed with me. And then on the other side of the fire, I heard Sora start chuckling as well, which made Kairi join in a few seconds later. The four of us laughed at the situation, smiles spread across our faces as we enjoyed the moment.

My laughter died out after a few moments as my stomach began to hurt, my breathlessness getting to me. I sighed through the last of my giggles and lifted my head, my eyes wandering to the stars above me. All of them shone so brightly that I couldn't help but be in awe of them. Back home, I didn't see stars too often; the lights of the town were too bright a lot of the time. But here, everything was so calm and quiet. It was amazing to think that somewhere out there, evil was lurking and swallowing worlds.

"Each star is another world," Riku told me softly. I blinked at that and looked over at him only to realize that he was still gazing up at the stars.

"That's so many!" I exclaimed without thought, wonder coming through in my voice.

"I know," Riku responded quietly. "And it's up to me and Sora to protect them._ All_ of them."

My gaze softened at Riku's seriousness, his expression also reflecting that he felt pressure to protect all the different places out there. "The worlds are in good hands," I assured him softly, my blue eyes staying on him until he lowered his chin and looked over at me. Riku's serious expression stayed on his face as he gazed at me, but upon hearing my words, a smile started to appear.

"Thanks."

I nodded softly, a faint smile on my lips. I tore my gaze away from Riku's when I felt a spark in my heart, the feeling unidentifiable to me. I didn't ponder it, my eyes wandering to Sora and Kairi on the other side of the fire. They were whispering something to each other, but then I heard a voice beside me that got my attention.

"We should all get some rest," Riku said, rising to his feet. "Sora, we've got a lot of work to do tomorrow. Don't sleep in."

"Got it," Sora said with a nod, pushing himself up off the ground. Just as I noticed him offer a hand to Kairi, I saw Riku do the same with me out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head to him and smiled at the gesture, my hand finding his before he tightened his grip and helped me to my feet.

"You'll be alright with Kairi for the night?"

"Yeah," I assured him. "It'll be fine." Kairi seemed like a nice enough person, and besides, I trusted Riku wouldn't leave me with anybody he didn't trust. _Funny how much I trust him, _I thought, looking up into his eyes. We hadn't known each other long, but we were friends already. Heck, we were better friends with each other than I was with most of my friends in Twilight Town. How freaky was that?

When Riku tilted his head slightly, it snapped me out of my thoughts. Not only did it do that, but it also made me realize that Riku and I were still holding hands. I blushed at the realization, my hand coming out of his at the same time that he released his grip on mine. "See you tomorrow," Riku said softly.

"See ya," I said quietly, offering Riku a faint wave before he started walking away, Sora following him. I shifted my gaze to Kairi then and saw her offer me a kind smile. I returned the smile and started walking with her when she started towards the house. I didn't know what tomorrow would hold for me, but I was alright as long as I had my friends. Hope wasn't lost, and neither was my world. Riku and Sora were going to save Twilight Town and the people in there.

_Someday, everything's gonna be alright. I just know it. _


	8. Chapter 8: Destiny Islands Life

**NO reviews for the last chapter guys? Seriously? That makes me sad. ): I better get double the reviews with this one. **

Chapter Eight: Destiny Islands Life

Nightmares weren't an uncommon occurrence for me. It's not like I had them every night, but whenever I was stressed or afraid of something, I was sure to have a nightmare.

Now I bet you're asking: What fear could I possibly have? I was safe and comfortable sleeping in Kairi's home in Destiny Islands. There was no harm coming my way. And even if there were, Riku and Sora were around to keep anything bad from happening. There was no reason to fear.

But I didn't say I was afraid for myself.

Yes,** I** was safe and comfortable. But my friends and family were not. I didn't know what happened to them when my world was plunged into Darkness, and this was a question that I could never speak. I was too scared to find out what the answer was. And my dreams reflect that, causing me to toss and turn all throughout the night even though I knew that nothing could be done. Only Riku and Sora could save the ones I loved, and they were working on a plan to do just that. I should have just trusted them to take care of it.

Of course, that's easier said than done.

I sighed, turning over on my side as I came out of my slumber again. I had been waking up all throughout the night, but suddenly, I had the impression that it wasn't nighttime waking me up. I set my hand on the pillow in front of me but then felt cold, so I slipped my arm back into my sleeping back. I forced my eyes to open as I looked around Kairi's bedroom, my sight wandering to her bed. It was empty.

_She must already be up,_ I thought groggily, sitting upright and letting the sleeping bag only cover my legs now. I tiredly ran a hand through my hair, trying to wake myself up. I couldn't hear anything throughout the house, so that meant I was going to have to explore to find out what was going on.

Eventually, I got out of the sleeping bag and rose to my feet, dragging my feet as I exited Kairi's bedroom and headed through the hall and down the stairs. I heard noise in the kitchen, so I automatically went into that room only to find Kairi at the stove, already dressed and prepared for the day as she made breakfast.

Kairi turned her head and saw me in the doorway, her hair perfectly in place and mine a mess. "Morning!" she said cheerfully, a smile gracing her lips.

_Ugh, how can anybody be a morning person? _I thought to myself, seeing how awake and pleasant she was. "Morning," I mumbled, taking a few steps into the room while rubbing my eyes. What time was it, anyway?

"You hungry?" Kairi asked as she turned back to the food on the stove. "I made pancakes."

"Yeah, sure," I said, lowering my hands from my eyes as I sat down at the table. I didn't care about food; I wasn't even hungry, but I knew that I needed to eat something if I was going to have any energy during the day.

"Here," Kairi said, setting a plate of pancakes on the table in front of me. I looked down and for the first time noticed a plate with a fork and a knife in front of me, Kairi having set the table already. How could she be able to think clearly in the morning? That was crazy…

"Thanks," I said with a polite nod, grabbing my fork and putting two pancakes on my plate. I prepared them the way I normally did, with just butter and syrup. It didn't take me long to eat the food, and when I was done, I took it to the sink, where I noticed Kairi was putting away the dishes she had just cleaned.

"Had enough?" she asked, to which I nodded in response. "'Kay." She took my plate and put it in the sink, turning back to me instead of washing it right away. "So, I thought of what we can do for the day," Kairi said, a smile of excitement appearing on her lips.

"What's that?" I asked curiously.

"Riku and Sora gave me some munny they found during their travels," Kairi said then, though she didn't stop explaining. "They find a lot of it, so they gave me some so that we could get you some cooler clothes to wear."

I instinctively looked down at my khaki pants and my polo shirt, realizing what Kairi meant by my outfit. This outfit was far too warm for me to wear on the beach. It had been inadequate last night when it was cooler, but I would be roasting if I stepped outside the door. So Kairi and I talked about it and agreed to head to the shopping center in the middle of the island after I took a shower and made myself presentable.

So half an hour later, we headed out. I have to say, that was the most fun shopping trip I ever went on. Back at home, I mostly shopped by myself. Every once in a while I did it with friends, but only when my work schedule allowed us to be free at the same time. And that only happened a few times. Still, there was a difference between this and what I did with my friends: this was real bonding. It wasn't all gossip about who in town did what or who was dating whom. We talked and laughed and joked around with each other without putting down other people. It was nice.

We even ate lunch at the food court there in the middle of the day, and it almost felt as if I were back home. This place didn't look anything like Twilight Town, but it felt nice in the sense that I was comfortable. After less than a day of being there, I was already getting used to Destiny Islands, and I didn't mind that one bit.

We spent more time shopping than I had thought, because by the time we made it back to Kairi's house, it was mid-afternoon. _Seriously?_ I thought, looking at the clock in Kairi's bedroom. _Where did the time go?_

"You wanna see Riku and Sora?" Kairi asked me, having just set down some shopping bags on her bed.

"Yeah, sure," I said with a nod, thinking that she phrased it with saying Riku's name first for my sake. She probably knew I spent more time with him than Sora, but I wasn't sure what she knew beyond that. But then again, there wasn't much else to say. We became friends pretty quickly, but we were still strangers to each other in a lot of ways. But hopefully that would be changing soon enough.

"Go ahead and get changed," Kairi encouraged. "I'll wait outside on the porch for you."

"Thanks," I said with a smile and a nod of gratitude, seeing Kairi return both these signals before she turned around and headed out, shutting the door behind her. When she was gone, I turned my head towards the bed, sighing at the six shopping bags I had to pick from. What was I supposed to choose? I liked everything I bought…

I walked over and searched through one bag onto to find that this was the store where we bought jackets I could wear at night when it was cold. And jeans were in there too. I pushed that bag to the side and picked up a bag with a few sundresses, and I hesitated with what to do with that one. Was that too formal? Sure, Kairi was wearing a skirt, but…No, I didn't want to wear a dress. No.

Setting aside the bag, I decided just to pick out of another bag and wear it. There was no reason for me to care this much about what I was wearing, right? I reached into the nearest bag and picked out the thing at the top of the bag, but then I decided not to wear that. I know I said I would wear the first thing I saw, but I didn't feel that the shirt would…ugh, whatever. I didn't know what I thought. I reached in and finally found a short-sleeved shirt that went along with my mood. It was a light shade of blue that just happened to compliment my eyes and my slim form. And the dark blue jean-capris I just happened to pick out of the next bag (on the third try) went well with the shirt.

I put on the clothes and then went to look in the mirror behind Kairi's door, straightening my shirt and instinctively tucking back some of my brunette hair. I had to admit, I looked pretty good. It was a casual outfit, but it fit me well. But then again, everything Kairi and I bought today looked good. So why did it take me so long to pick out an outfit?

A single thought popped into my mind, making my eyes widen. No. I wasn't looking good for him. I blushed and walked away from the mirror, taking the time to put all the "rejected" outfits back into bags. When I felt that things were clean enough (and my face was no longer red) I headed outside to meet Kairi.

Upon reaching the porch, I saw her sitting on the stairs, gazing out at the ocean. I tried to shut the door softly so it wouldn't slam, but she heard the faint noise anyway and turned around. "Ready?" she asked me, smiling as she took in my outfit.

"Yup. Lead the way," I said, noticing a different look in her eye. What was that about?

Kairi did as I requested and walked ahead, going towards the side of the land that I hadn't seen before. This was a beautiful place, and I almost asked Kairi what it was like to live there. But would that have implied? That I wanted to stay forever? I bit down on my lip, wondering if I actually _was_ thinking about that but wouldn't admit it. I honestly didn't know what I was feeling with everything being thrown upon me so suddenly.

"Riku and Sora are out on the Island today," Kairi informed me, breaking through my thoughts before I could continue my thoughts.

"You mean that one?" I asked, pointing over in the direction of a small little islet a little ways away from this main piece of land.

"That's the one," Kairi confirmed. "The three of us always used to hang out there as kids. It was easy to have fun out there, especially since the adults didn't stick around and try to play games with us."

I laughed, catching onto the joke. I could understand where she was coming from; when I was growing up, I didn't think it was fun when adults tried to play games with a bunch of younger kids. In fact, it was just plain…awkward.

"But nobody really goes out there anymore," Kairi continued, her voice a little softer and more serious than before. "I guess everybody outgrew it."

"But you guys still go out there?" I asked, to which Kairi nodded.

"When they're home, we normally go there for some privacy," she said, her eyes staying forward now as she explained. "Not many people know about them having the Keyblades or how they go on the adventures they do, so we go out there to talk about things and that's where they go to plan their next worlds and stuff."

"So that's what they're doing today? Planning?"

"Probably," Kairi said with a shrug. "We'll find out when we get there."

I finally followed Kairi's gaze to a deck right in front of us, a few boats tied there. It looked to me as if a few more could have been there, but then my gaze went out to the Island. It made sense that there were missing spots here; Riku and Sora were already at the Island. Duh.

I climbed into one boat and Kairi got into another. I secretly watched her undo her ropes and copied her techniques, since I had never actually been in a boat before. It felt strange to be so inexperienced, but I just kept reminding myself that my world was very different from hers. Especially now that it was engulfed by Darkness.

I put my paddles in the water, a splash created almost as if to knock away my negative thoughts. I didn't want to think about it. Not now, or ever. Again, I focused my attention on Kairi and mimicked her, this time copying her paddling. It felt so unnatural to me, and if it _did_ show, Kairi didn't comment on it. It was a quiet trip to the Island, but that was okay with me. If I had learned anything lately, it was that true friendship didn't revolve around speaking all the time.

Eventually, we made it to the Island and I saw a deck there similar to the one on the mainland. This one, though, already had two boats tied to it. Riku and Sora.

Mimicking Kairi, I tied my boat to the deck, though I tied an extra knot in it just in case. Once we were both on the deck, I turned to Kairi and asked her a question. "Where are they?"

Kairi took a few steps forward, walking down a small set of stairs and onto the sand. I followed, seeing that she was looking around so that she could answer my question. "Ah," she said. "There they are." I looked where she pointed and saw a tiny little islet, two people on the area. Even at a distance, I could recognize who they were and what they were doing. Riku and Sora were…fighting?

"C'mon," Kairi said, speaking and starting off before I could ask any questions. Her tone wasn't one of alarm, and her walk was at a very casual pace. Did Riku and Sora always fight like this? I was very curious, but I didn't speak, not wanting to look like an idiot. Instead, I followed Kairi through a shack and up the stairs to an area right by the bridge that lead to the islet.

Kairi started across first and I followed, though neither of the boys seemed to see us or recognize our presence until Kairi greeted them.

"Hey!" she shouted in greeting, stopping halfway across the bridge and waving at them. Sora stopped fighting immediately, his Keyblade lowering down to his side. Riku, however, wasn't so easily influenced. When Sora turned to look at his girlfriend, Riku used his free hand to reach out and grab Sora, pinning his one arm before he put him down to the ground, his knee in Sora's back.

"You're too easily distracted," Riku scolded, staring down at Sora under his knee. "If we were really fighting, I would have just killed you."

"But we're not really fighting," Sora said with a grunt, Riku's knee in his back obviously uncomfortable. Riku sighed, standing up and offering Sora a hand.

"What's the point of us fighting at all then if you're not going to take it seriously?" Riku asked strictly, taking back his hand when Sora just decided to stand up on his own. "There's a battle to be fought, Sora, and you're too busy worrying about Kairi right now to see how serious things are."

"I know how serious things are," Sora said with a frown. "But just because I end a fight early doesn't mean that I'm not taking things seriously. And besides, wasn't there something else you always taught me that you just neglected."

"What's that?" Riku asked with an arched brow.

Sora suddenly grabbed Riku's arm and managed to flip the older teen over him so that he was laying on his back, the teen then pointing his white Keyblade at Riku's chest. "Never get lured into conversation during battle," he said with a smirk. "It distracts you and gives your opponent an advantage to surprise you."

Riku looked up at Sora through narrowed eyes before his expression lightened, a chuckle leaving his lips. "Good job, Sora," he said with a nod. "We'll call it a draw."

"Good enough for me," Sora said with a smirk, taking a few steps back and no longer pointing his Keyblade at Riku. I watched from the sidelines as Riku pushed himself up off the ground, his Keyblade staying in his grasp as he turned to face me and Kairi. For some reason, he looked surprised to see me beside Kairi.

"Are you two going to be polite and say hello?" Kairi asked, folding her hands behind her back and leaning forward as she waited for an answer.

"Hi Kairi," both teens said, almost as if they were trained to do so. But when they both turned and gave each other strange looks, I realized that it had only been coincidence that they spoke at the same time. A smile appeared on my lips as both boys looked away from each other and stared at the ground, embarrassed by each other.

"Hi, Sora," Kairi said sweetly. "Hi Riku. Have you two been playing nice?"

"…"

"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Kairi said with a sigh, hearing their silence.

"Fights are serious," Riku inserted, emphasizing what he had said earlier.

"But they're not everything," Kairi argued, taking a few steps forward and stopping right in front of Riku. "Remember that."

I kept my eyes on Kairi and Riku for a moment, seeing his gaze softening before he finally sighed. "Alright."

"Hey, whose boat is that?" Sora asked, pointing in the direction of the deck. All of us turned, and Kairi gasped, seeing her ship floating to sea. Personally, I was shocked that it was her boat and not mind that was adrift, but I kept my thoughts to myself.

"I got it," Riku offered without waiting for anyone else to say anything. He took a few steps on the bridge, but before he would have reached me, he jumped down off the side and started running for the deck. Beside me, I heard Kairi groan in disbelief before she turned around and ran for the shack, apparently going to help Riku get her boat in. I couldn't help but smile weakly, a little amused at the situation.

From the islet, Sora chuckled, revealing that I wasn't the only one who was feeling amused by the whole thing. "This isn't the first time it's happened," he informed me, standing right in front of the bridge but not coming on it. I approached him, listening as he continued speaking. "Kai's not good at knots, so Riku and I take turns bringing in her boat whenever it goes adrift."

"Wow," I said, laughing in amusement. That made sense now; I had figured Kairi's boyfriend would be the one to get it, but hearing that they took turns cleared that up just fine.

"Yeah, knot tying isn't her forte," Sora said with a grin, motioning for me to follow him onto the islet. I obeyed, and again he kept speaking. "She's better at shopping."

"I figured that out already," I said with a smile, obviously referring to our shopping trip earlier.

Sora smiled at that, stopping at the middle of the islet and leaning against a tree as he faced me. "Of course, she's good at more than just that," he said, his eyes shining when he spoke of the girl he loved. "She's beautiful, inside and out. She cares so much for other people, and when she laughs…"

I smiled sweetly, finding the way Sora spoke of Kairi adorable. He obviously loved her, and I was really glad to see that. From what I had seen of Sora and Kairi, they both deserved love. Someday, if I ever fell in love (which, hopefully I would), I dreamed it was pure like this. Even viewing it from the outside, I could tell that this was true love.

"Ah, but anyway," Sora said with a chuckle, shaking his head. "You get the idea. Kairi's…my everything." He smiled at me and I returned his smile, my expression staying the same when he glanced down at the Keyblade still in his grasp. I followed his gaze and then he lifted it up so that I could see it better.

"This is Oathkeeper," he told me, his gaze staying on the weapon as he spoke. "The charm on the end of it is one that Kairi gave me for good luck."

"Keyblades can work like that?" I asked in wonder, gazing at the charm on the end. Putting different charms at the end of a Keyblade…was that why the Keyblade Sora held was different from Riku's?

"Yup," Sora said with a nod. "The more Keychains you have, the more Keyblades you can wield. But I used Oathkeeper to remind me of why I fight." When he said those words, he turned his head and looked towards the deck, seeing Kairi standing on it and waving to Riku, who had just brought the boat back in to the dock. "Everybody fights for somebody," he said, keeping his eyes on the girl he loved.

"Who does Riku fight for?" I asked, surprising myself. Where did that come from?

"He says that he fights for me and Kairi," Sora said, not missing a beat at my random question. He then turned to face me, his expression more serious. "But I think it's more than just for us."

"What do you mean?"

"I think he-"

"Sora!" Riku hollered from the deck, interrupting the conversation. _Dang it, _I thought, seeing Sora stall with his sentence as he walked to the edge of the islet right by a tree. "Remember, next time it's your turn!"

"Got it!" he shouted back. When he turned to face me, he didn't pick up where we left off with the conversation. "Let's head down," he said, motioning towards the bridge. I nodded and he started ahead, his Keyblade fading out of his grasp as he walked. I trailed behind him, biting my lip to keep myself from asking the question that had been unanswered. After all, it was none of my business what Riku fought for, right?

But if it wasn't my business, why did I care so much?

Sora and I made our way through the shack and then down the shoreline to the deck where Riku and Kairi were standing and waiting for us to arrive. "I'm guessing we're done fighting for the day," Sora said, stopping by the stairs at the side of the deck as he spoke to Riku.

"Yeah, we're done," Riku confirmed with a nod, though he spoke as if he wasn't just talking to Sora. He looked to me next to Sora and then to Kairi before he looked over at the brunet beside me, his expression unreadable to me.

"So what now?" Kairi wondered aloud. Both Sora and Riku shrugged, and my facial expression was obviously saying that I had no clue what there was to do. Riku and Sora were preparing for a hard task, and I had no idea how they went about that. "How about dinner?" she suggested after a few moments. "We can go get stuff from the mainland and then have a picnic here. Sound good?"

"You need any help?" Sora asked after nodding in response to Kairi's question.

"Sure, wanna come?"

"Yup. Let's do it."

"Okay," Kairi said with a smile, starting for her boat. She knelt down and started untying it, and Riku turned to face me, giving me a sad look that said: _I just tied that, and she's undoing it_. I stifled a giggle, though Sora nudging my elbow to encourage my laughter almost made me show my expression of amusement. However, I managed to keep it in, and Sora left me alone to climb in his own boat and go to shore.

Once Sora and Kairi were finished with their boats, they started paddling back, and I walked up onto the deck so that I could see them more clearly.

"See you guys later!" Sora called. I waved farewell to both him and Kairi, seeing Riku do the same out of the corner of my eye. The two of us watched for a few seconds as Sora and Kairi got further away, but then he turned to face me.

"C'mon," he said, a small smile forming on his lips. "I'll show you around."


	9. Chapter 9: Destiny Islands Life Part 2

**Sorry I keep falling behind on these updates, guys. :/ I keep trying to do it every 2 weeks but it's more like 3. If it helps at all, though, I did release a few oneshots recently. You should check them out, and review. And enjoy this new chapter. (:**

Chapter Nine: Destiny Islands Life (Part Two)

"Watch your step. The bridge isn't steady here."

"Alright," I said with a nod, looking at Riku standing across the gap of the bridge. He had shown me a little bit of the front of the island already, and now we were on the back side, where we were in a broken bridge. Just moments ago, he had jumped across a small gap to the other side and given me that warning.

Riku stretched out a hand for me to take when I did the jump, but I figured I would be alright without it, so I didn't bother taking it. I took a small step back before I took the jump, landing next to Riku on the other side. There; that wasn't so hard.

"You guys ever try to fix the bridge?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at the gap.

"Yeah, but it always gets broken again," Riku said with a light shrug, starting forward again as he kept talking. "It's been that way as long as I can remember."

"Anyone ever get hurt?"

"Naw, everyone always knew about, so nobody fell. It's just naturally how things are."

"Hm," I hummed, walking off the bridge and staying next to Riku when he stopped, I did too, following where he was pointing and obviously referring to when he spoke.

"Sora and I used to have races back here all the time," Riku was saying, pointing in the direction of the door we had come through. "We always started there, and then we'd run across the bridge…" He trailed off, his gaze going to the tower that they were right next to. He flashed me a grin, a little bit of excitement in his expression. "Follow me," he said, starting up the ladder.

I tilted my head slightly, letting Riku get a head start with the ladder. What was he going to show me? I didn't spend long wondering over it, starting to climb up the tower myself when Riku was high enough up that he wouldn't kick me in the face. When I reached the top, Riku moved as far over as he could, the area obviously not meant for two people.

"We'd run along this beach down here, hop from platform to platform, and then touch that tree," Riku continued, pointing through each of the steps as he explained it to me. "And then we'd race back to where we started."

"Looks like fun," I said with a nod, even though I probably wouldn't have done such a thing as a child. Running wasn't an appealing idea to me, since I really wasn't in great physical shape when I was growing up. I still wasn't that strong until about a year ago when I started learning how to fight. But compared to Sora and Riku, I looked like a fool in a fight.

Riku nodded, his hand finding a handle that dangled from a zip-line. "Sora always used this thing as a shortcut," he said, referring to the zip-line. "I have to give him props; it was a smart idea."

"Hm," I hummed in recognition, recognizing that Riku probably didn't give compliments out on a regular basis. I didn't know why I reached that conclusion…I just did.

"It's a lot of fun, too," Riku said, setting a hand on the zipline. He smiled to me before he pushed off, speeding down the line. I stepped closer and watched, in awe of just how fast he went to the platform. _Huh, that's impressive,_ I thought, seeing Riku let go of the handle and stand in the platform. What he said next, though, had me off guard.

"Your turn!"

I was baffled for a moment, but then I laughed. "No way," I said, shaking my head. I had just seen how fast Riku went down; I wasn't prepared to do that myself. Not only did it look dangerous, but it was also a little scary. I never did like heights in the first place, so the idea of holding myself up above the ground while speeding to a platform didn't appeal to me. At all.

"C'mon! It's not _that _scary," Riku called.

"Yes it is!"

"Scared of heights?"

Was that a taunt? It sure sounded like one. "Yes, I am!" I shouted matter-of-factly, ignoring the handle that came back up and stopped by my face. I wasn't going down that zipline, end of discussion. And nothing Riku said could change that.

"You won't fall, and even if you do, there's sand beneath you. It doesn't hurt."

"Easy for you to say," I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. Not only had Riku done this hundreds of times, but he also was more fit. He probably hadn't fallen before, but I wasn't going to challenge him on that.

Riku sighed, shaking his head from his place on the platform. I saw the look on his face; it was meant to get me to soften up to him and let go of my fears. Heh, yeah right. "Not a chance," I told him, not affected by the small pout. Again, Riku sighed dramatically, but he didn't keep his puppy-dog look. Instead he set his hands on the zipline and climbed up it towards me. When he was doing that, I couldn't help but notice the muscles in his arms.

_Ugh, what am I thinking?_

Riku came onto the tower, releasing the zipline as he looked to me. "Showoff," I said, unfolding my arms and giving him a look.

The boy shrugged at that, though he then smirked a little bit. "That's not the best part," he said then, taking a step closer to me. My eyes grew confused, but when he wrapped an arm around my back and set his free hand on the handle on the zipline, I understood what he had in mind. "Hold on tight!"

I squealed, wrapping my arms around Riku tightly when my feet left the ground of the tower. My eyes squeezed shut for the few seconds of the ride, the wind whipping through my hair before we came to a stop on the other side of the line, my feet touching the platform in front of Riku's. Still, I didn't release him or open my eyes. I did force myself to breathe, though, since I had forgotten a few moments ago.

Riku's arm stayed around me, and for a few moments, he stayed silent. When he did speak, though, his voice was different than it was before. Gentle.

"Was it that bad?" he asked softly.

"I really don't like heights," I whispered into Riku's chest, my eyes actually getting a little teary. I was glad that he couldn't see me; I felt like an idiot for getting so worked up over something so small.

"Sorry," Riku said softly.

I nodded, subconsciously gripping the back of Riku's vest.

"C'mon, let's get down off of here."

At Riku's words, I released the back of his vest with my hands and then brought my hands back to my sides. I glanced up at Riku and saw him looking at me when he released me from his faint embrace. I looked away first, though, not wanting him to read my eyes. He seemed to understand, and so he took a step over to the side and jumped down a few feet onto a nearby path. I followed him with my eyes, seeing him turn around once he was set and offer his hands to help me down.

I sat myself down on the edge of the platform, my legs dangling over the edge by Riku. He didn't flinch at my cowardly position, though I felt stupid that I wouldn't just jump down like he did. Regardless, I reached for his hands and jumped down, my feet landing safely on the ground. I finally looked back up at Riku's face, and I blushed when I saw the way he was studying me.

Riku again seemed to sense what I was feeling, but instead of backing off, he released one of my hands and brought up his own, tucking back some of my hair and asking me a question. "You wanna know why I really forced you to go on the zipline?"

"…Sure?" I said, the word coming out as a question. He didn't do it just to make me experience the "thrill"? I didn't understand, so I waited for him to say his thoughts.

"You looked like you needed a hug," Riku confessed, his hand lowering away from my face when he spoke. "And holding you on the zipline was the best way I could think to do that."

I couldn't help but let a faint smile come across my lips at the thoughtfulness of Riku. "A regular hug would have sufficed," I said softly, though the weak smile stayed on my lips as I met Riku's gaze. He had gone through far too much trouble to make such a simple thing occur; why didn't he just wrap his arms around me? But…how did he know I needed a hug?

"Sorry about that," Riku said with a grimace.

"Don't worry about it," I responded, shaking my head a little bit to support my words. When Riku nodded to that, I took the opportunity to speak my thoughts. "But…what do you mean, about me needing a hug?"

Riku gave me a look, his eyebrow arched in a way as if to say, _Are you kidding me?_ "Steph, you're easy to read," he said simply. "You're like a book."

I bit down on my lip, lowering my gaze to the hand that Riku still held. I had even forgotten about that, but I didn't bother slipping my hand out of his, instead focusing on what he said. I supposed that it was true…I had heard in the past that my emotions were written on my face a lot of the time. It was annoying sometimes because it made me a bad liar, but at the same time, I would have rather have been a bad liar than a good one. "…Right."

Riku nodded, the movement one that I saw out of the corner of my eye. "Now, let's try this again," he said, pulling his hand away from mine and then opening his arms to me as an invitation for an embrace. I silently took a small step forward and wrapped my arms around Riku's lower back, my head finding his shoulder. His arms came around my upper back, and I actually felt my shoulders become less tense when I felt comfortable.

What was this feeling that I had? It wasn't too often that I found myself in this type of situation, where a person read me and flat-out told me that I needed a hug. What was it about Riku that made this seem so…natural? He was so bold, and upfront, and…raw. He wasn't near perfect, which was shown earlier that day and just now with the whole zipline incident. But I didn't hold it against him, because I had shown him my imperfections as well.

My eyes widened slightly at that, realization hitting me. How often did I allow people to see that I wasn't perfect? Not often, that was for sure. I didn't get close enough for anybody to see any of that. I felt like I was putting on a façade much of the time, covering my flaws so that I would be accepted. But Riku clearly saw my flaws: I wasn't fearless. I got upset over things. I wasn't strong. And yet he accepted me anyway, like I accepted him.

_Riku, who are you, and why do I feel so comfortable with you? _

I didn't bother asking the question aloud, or even answering it myself. I knew that some things just clicked in life; they fit together naturally. That was just the way it was with my friendship with Riku; there was no point in overanalyzing everything.

"Steph?"

"Hm?"

Riku softened his embrace around me, and I pulled back as well as Riku's hands moved to my shoulders. "Are you going to be alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're having a hard time with this," Riku said, staring into my eyes and tightening his grasp on my shoulders a little bit. "You lost everything, and you're trying to take it in stride, but it's not working for you. At all."

I tore my eyes away from Riku's, my face getting a little red when he again read me like a book.

"Just…stop trying to be so strong, Steph," Riku continued, his gaze staying on me despite the fact that I had looked away. "Nobody expects you to be unaffected by this. "

I shook my head softly, my eyes down on the ground at this point. "I'm not trying to hide anything from you guys," I assured him softly. "I…If I act like it didn't happen, then it doesn't hurt so badly."

"It's not healthy to cover things up like that, especially with yourself."

"Maybe not," I agreed quietly. "But it's how I survived the past seventeen years." When Riku was silent, I looked up and saw his arched brow, which told me to continue. "It's how I got through every problem life threw at me growing up," I said, diverting my gaze to the ground again. "I'm not strong enough to face them head on."

"You're stronger than you think," Riku said immediately. I looked up at him, surprised. _What?_ "Any normal person would be an emotional wreck if they were in your shoes. Give yourself some credit; you're strong enough not to collapse under the pressure of everything that happened."

I shyly looked to the ocean to the side, though after a few moments, I nodded once to show that I heard what Riku said. It was really sweet of him to talk like that…I hadn't expected that to leave his lips. Ever.

"You guys ready for lunch?" a voice called from behind me, the source fairly distant. I turned, Riku's hands coming off my shoulders as he too looked to the source. There was Sora, standing a little bit to the side of the tower. He was by himself, and I quickly figured out that Kairi was probably on the other side of the Island.

Riku's gaze landed on me, so I knew he was wondering if I felt alright to go join everyone, since I was a little emotional a few minutes ago. When I silently nodded, he hollered a "yeah" to Sora. The brunet walked out of sight, and Riku turned his attention back to me.

"C'mon."

…..

The rest of the day went by very quickly, at least in my eyes. We did various things through the afternoon and evening, and most of the time, I was with Riku. Honestly, though, I wish I could remember more of the day. At the time things occurred, I was into the activities, but by the end of the day, I felt weighed down with everything. My lack of sleep surely didn't help with anything.

And, of course, neither did the fact that it was now 11 at night and we were all sitting around a campfire like we had last night. Sora and Kairi were having a conversation across the fire, and Sora had his arm around her to keep her warmer. I had gone inside a little while ago and gotten a jacket, since Kairi's house was right next to us. Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) Riku had on his usual outfit, which meant that his arms were uncovered. Wasn't he cold at all?

I exhaled a soft breath, my arms loosening around my legs that were brought up to my chest. Why was I trying to distract myself with these thoughts? All day, the fate of my world lingered on my mind, even if I tried hiding it. Every once in a while, Riku would see through the charade and put a hand on my shoulder or something, but it was harder now that he and I were both quiet. Sora and Kairi's talking entered my ears but didn't register in my mind, since I was too exhausted and distracted to pay attention.

Eventually, I scooted a little closer to Riku and set my head on his shoulder, my eyes shutting in both weariness and tiredness. The skin of his shoulder felt warm against my cheek, and I somehow felt better being in contact with another human being. The feeling reminded me of when Riku hugged me earlier, or when he had contact with me in general. It felt good, feeling like I wasn't completely alone.

"Steph."

"Mm?" I hummed softly, hearing Riku's quiet call and feeling his light gaze on me for the first time in a while. He had glanced at me earlier when I first put my head on his shoulder, but then we had been quiet for a while before he finally said something.

"Go to bed." I opened my eyes a crack, biting my lip lightly at that. I didn't feel right doing that; I was supposed to be spending time with everyone right now. "You're not staying awake here, anyway."

_He's right,_ I realized, my gaze shifting to the fire in front of us. If I stayed, then I was just going to fall asleep on the beach and have to be woken up to go inside. "Alright," I murmured with a sigh, bringing my head off Riku's shoulder and rubbing my eyes lightly with my hands. "Goodnight," I said softly.

"Goodnight," Riku said quietly with a faint nod. I heard something…sweet, in his voice, and it drew a weak smile out of me. Regardless, I set my hands on the ground and pushed myself up, giving Sora and Kairi a weak wave in farewell before I headed for Kairi's house.

My steps were heavy, drowsiness taking its toll on me as I worked my way through Kairi's home. I made it to her bedroom and didn't immediately get into my sleeping bag, my clothes scattered over it. I sighed and straightened it up, moving it out of the way and setting the bags on the other side of the room.

When it was done, I lied down inside the sleeping bag only to feel a cool gust of wind from the open window. I shivered for a few moments, but then I decided that it would be smart to get up and close the window. I scooted out of the sleeping bag and picked myself up off the ground before I started over to the window. But I stopped there when I heard voices from down below.

"Riku, what're you thinking?" Sora asked.

"I don't care what trouble this gets me in with the King. Saving one girl won't disrupt world order."

_They're talking about me,_ I realized, my eyes widening slightly at that thought. I slunk down to the floor by the window, my back against the wall as I listened closely to hear what they were saying.

"Hey, I'm with you," Sora said. I imagined him lifting his hands in his own defense at that, the teen fairly readable by his tone. "But what're you going to say if the King forces you to take some kind of action to set this right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno. Don't they have technology out there that could wipe a person's memory?" I gasped softly, alarmed. But then, Sora continued as if Riku had a similar reaction to that. "You have to think it through, Riku. It's bad enough she knows about the Keyblade, and things are only more serious now that she knows about other worlds."

"I trust her," Riku said confidently.

"We know, Riku," Kairi inserted, having heard Riku's defensive tone. "And that's what's so…strange. You hardly ever trust anybody."

When Riku was silent for a few moments, Sora jumped in. "And you act different around her, too. You're…goofy."

"And sensitive," Kairi added.

"And just…You're really **you**. More than you are even with us sometimes."

"Steph is just…different," Riku said after a few moments of thought. I held my breath, waiting for him to continue. "She's so sincere. She's got her fears and doubts about life, but she's brave enough to face uncertainty. In that respect, she's the bravest person I've ever met."

I felt myself blush at the compliments, and down at the fire, Sora and Kairi exchanged looks of pleasure. They understood better than I did that Riku had found somebody he cared about as more than a friend. I was only beginning to see it now, but it felt as if Sora and Kairi had noticed it from the start.

"Does she have any idea what you're feeling?"

"I…don't know," Riku confessed. "But there's no point pursuing anything right now. She's already heartbroken over everything that happened to her home; I don't want to add any more stress that."

_Too late_, I thought, biting my lip. Now that I was hearing all of this, I was going to think about it. Did I have a future with Riku? I really, really wanted to be able to focus on that question, but Riku was right when he said I was heartbroken over my loss. Unfortunately, I'd have to ponder our relationship later.

"And besides," Riku continued, "she's from another world. She lives a normal life, and I'm a Keyblade wielder. Nothing can possibly go well with that."

"Why not?" Sora challenged.

"You know as well as I do what dangers the Keyblade brings. Friends get hurt by the trouble and Darkness that it attracts."

"But we protect them from it."

"We do."

"And you're willing to protect her from it."

"No, that's not it," Riku said, shaking his head when he spoke. "I **want** to protect her. Every time she's ever been in danger, I've just wanted to throw myself in the path of every Heartless that jumped at her. But she can defend herself from them; I don't know why I should be feeling this way."

"Because you love her," Kairi said, the simplicity of her words making me hold my breath as I listened in. Riku **loved** me?

"How is that even possible?" Riku asked in wonder, taking my thoughts away. "I just met her…"

"You know that time doesn't matter all the time, Riku," Sora said, a weak smile on his face when he faced his best friend's concerns. "Sometimes, things just click naturally."

Riku took that in, somehow accepting it despite some of the cynical attitude he felt towards love in general. Normally he would have argued against Sora for saying something so cheesy, but he was right. That was what sparked Riku's next question. "….What do I do? I've never…"

_I've never felt this way before,_ I thought to myself, finishing Riku's thought and making it my own. Neither of us had felt this way, and that was why my heart was in my throat. Of course I had pictured the possibility of us being something more; all girls did that with their guy friends. But me and Riku…seriously? Like he said before, he was a Keyblader, and I was just a normal girl. A girl from another **world**. That would create serious problems.

"Keep doing what you've been doing," Kairi said then, breaking through my thoughts. "Obviously she likes you too."

"…Really?"

"Well sure," Kairi said with a soft, reassuring smile. "You two just click; you're both comfortable with each other, and that's what she needs more than anything right now."

"…."

"But I don't think she even knows how much she likes you," the girl continued. "Give it time, and you two will be together soon enough."

"But what if it doesn't work out like that?" Riku asked. A moment later, he spoke again. "Listen to me; I'm starting to become a sap like Sora."

"**Hey**!"

"It'll all work out fine," Kairi promised him, and secretly, me. "Just have faith."

_Just have faith_, I repeated to myself, biting on my lip and gazing down at the ground. I didn't even know if I wanted a relationship with Riku! I mean, yeah, he's strong and brave and handsome and…gah, when did I start feeling this way? We were just friends yesterday…weren't we? When did things change? Or had they always been this way?

"We should all get some rest," somebody down at the fire said. "Tomorrow will be another long day."

At that, I hurried back over to my sleeping-bag and crawled inside, forgetting about the open window that was letting in cold air. I was burning hot anyway; the air was the last thing on my mind. But despite my racing thoughts, I felt my eyes close in exhaustion and I managed to pass out before Kairi came into her bedroom and went to bed herself. But before that happened, another thought went through my head.

_Tomorrow will be another long day. _


	10. Chapter 10: Hello! Goodbye

**Author's notes: Hi readers! I have a few things to say before you jump into the chapter. First off, thanks for all the reviews and subscriptions. It's awesome that people are enjoying this story. **

**Kaiyt- I can assure you, that is the best spam I've ever received! Those are some really good reviews, and reading them made my day. If ALL my readers could spam me with reviews like that, it would be spectacular. ;3**

**Okay, that's pretty much all I had to say. Enjoy the new chapter!**

…**.**

Chapter Ten: Hello! Goodbye…

"Steph, wake up."

I heard the voice call to me, and my first reaction was naturally to ignore this person. I wanted to tell them to shut up and let me sleep, but when I felt the light hand on my shoulder, I realized that this wasn't my mother speaking to me. It took me a moment, but I remembered that I wasn't at my home. I was at Kairi's, and if she was telling me to wake up, there had to have been a good reason.

"Steph?"

"I'm awake," I murmured, rolling over and opening my eyes as I squinted at Kairi beside me. I noticed something…off, in her facial expression, and that made me want to wake up more quickly. Exhaling a soft breath, I forced myself to sit up before I rubbed my eyes.

"Sorry," Kairi apologized, standing upright and straightening her pants as she looked down at me. "I didn't want to wake you, but it's getting later in the day, and…"

"What time is it?" I asked when Kairi trailed off.

"Around ten." _That's not that late,_ I thought, though I tried not to express it through my eyes. Instead, I looked at Kairi, seeing that she appeared a little flustered. "But…That's not really why I'm waking you."

I immediately felt confused, and concerned. Why was Kairi acting so nervous? "…What's up?" I asked hesitantly, trying to stay calm and wait to hear what she had to say.

"The King…He's coming here today."

I blinked, recalling that name from when I was eavesdropping from up here in Kairi's room. I think it was Sora who said something about the King not liking that I knew about Riku and Sora wielding Keyblades, or that there were other worlds out there. I felt nervous, and Kairi's expression reflected my emotions.

"Hurry and get ready. He'll be here soon."

"How soon?"

"About an hour."

An hour? How was I supposed to prepare myself to see a king in an hour? I glanced at Kairi before I got out of my sleeping bag and stood up, forgetting about my grogginess as I stumbled to the bathroom and hopped into the shower. I made it extremely quick so that I could dry my hair and use Kairi's curling iron, which she thoughtfully plugged in for me while I was in the shower.

As I dried my hair, I couldn't help but look at myself in the mirror and see my anxious expression. After hearing what the others said at the campfire last night, I really couldn't help it. Sora had said something crazy about him taking my memory away because I knew so much! That was so crazy…so insane…so…scary.

The hour went by pretty quickly, unfortunately. But I was able to apply some make-up that naturally made my eyes shine brighter (as if it would make any difference to the King) and put on a nice outfit. Kairi put on dark capris and a pink shirt, and I had on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a solid purple T-shirt. She had insisted that I didn't need to be fancy, just presentable.

I sighed, looking in the mirror one last time before Kairi called and said that it was time to leave. I fixed my side-bangs one last time and then followed her. Both of us were quiet now, serious. Had she met this king before? What was he like? Was he cruel and harsh and unmerciful? Or was he kind and just? I was about to find out, whether I liked it or not.

Kairi led me to the play island, and I noticed that Riku and Sora already were here since their boats were at the dock. Somehow, I felt glad for that. It seemed like the two of them were prepared for whatever this meeting would be like.

After the boats were tied, we only had to walk about thirty seconds before we ran into Sora and Riku, who were standing under the shade of the bridge. No words were said as Kairi approached Sora and gave him a silent hug. I stayed back a few steps, but Riku moved forward and met me where I was. I didn't digest the look in his eyes as he hugged me and I absently returned the embrace. I didn't want to let go, but when I heard a noise behind me, Riku automatically released me and I turned around. A Gummi ship was landing near the dock.

Sora and Kairi started walking forward, and Riku grabbed my hand when he started forward as well. We all stopped a few yards away from the ship, and I noticed that Riku didn't release my hand. He was standing taller though, and I looked over to Sora and Kairi beside me to see them doing the same. I mimicked them and stood upright, eyes set on the ship.

The ramp lowered, and I felt my nerves increase. The King…He was coming out. What would he do?

The mouse king walked down the ramp.

_**Mouse? **_

"Hiya, guys," the King said in warm greeting, walking down the ramp and getting onto the sand as he approached us.

"Hi, Your Majesty," Kairi greeted calmly from the other side of Sora. "How was your flight?"

"It went good," the mouse replied, stopping in front of the group before he took a step over to me. "Hi Steph, I'm King Mickey. Riku told me about what happened. I'm sorry you had to be dragged into this mess."

"It's quite alright," I said with a soft, comforted smile. This was the King? He seemed so kind!

"It's nice to meet ya," King Mickey said, holding out a hand for me to shake. I slipped my hand out of Riku's and bent down on one knee, a polite smile on my lips.

"Nice to meet you too, Your Majesty," I said, shaking his hand_. I'm shaking hands with a mouse,_ I thought in awe. But I tried to keep that awe inside, since I didn't want to gawk at the King.

"Sora and Riku didn't say anything about me to scare ya, did they?" the King asked as he withdrew his hand, allowing me to rise back to my feet between Riku and Sora.

"No, of course not," I answered with a weak smile. That was true for two reasons, one of them being that Sora and Riku hadn't said anything at all to me about the King. I had overheard them talking, but they weren't speaking to me. And they didn't say it to scare me, which was the second reason I could come up with.

King Mickey hummed, then looking to the tall boy beside me. "Riku, can we talk?"

"Of course," Riku replied calmly, motioning that the King could follow him and they could walk. Mickey walked past me and after Riku, and I followed them with my eyes.

But then an arm latched around mine and started leading me over to the right, where there was a small waterfall and area of lifted land.

"Stick with me," Sora said lowly, his arm the one around mine as he walked.

"What? Why?" I asked in confusion. Fortunately, I was smart enough to keep my voice soft, just as Sora had done. Kairi walked on the other side of him, and she kept her eyes forward like Sora was doing. I looked at him in confusion and concern, wondering what was up.

"Riku ordered me to not let you be alone as long as the King is here."

_Riku?_ "Why?"

"It's against the rules for us to take people to other worlds," Sora explained. "Riku and I see you as an exception to the rule, because we know taking you away from Twilight Town isn't going to dissolve world order."

_Okay…?_ What did that have to do with the King?

"The King is in charge of keeping order between the worlds," he said then, seeing my expression when we stopped by a ladder. He looked past me, and when he didn't see Riku or the King in sight, he continued. "He has to be very strict about rules, or else things would be chaos."

"But…he's so kind. He wouldn't do anything, would he?"

"We would like to think so," Sora responded, looking me in the eye. "But until Riku talks to him, we're not sure." I bit down on my lip in worry, feeling a bit frightened. What was going to happen?

"Don't worry," the brunet said when he saw my worry, lifting a hand to my shoulder. "Riku and I aren't going to let anything happen. Just stick with us, and you'll be fine."

"Okay," I said weakly, nodding. Sora smiled at me and squeezed my shoulder in a comforting gesture, and that brought a small smile out of me as well. I'd be fine; Sora and Riku weren't going to let anything bad happen. The King wouldn't be allowed to hurt me to protect the order of the worlds.

But that brought up a thought to me.

"Sora…what if the King wants to make me leave or something? You guys can't go against his orders, can you?"

"We're different than the King," Sora said then, his eyes set on mine. "Protecting our friends comes before any duty, and you're no exception to that rule." Pause. "Even if they King does make an order, we're standing against it. Riku and I talked about it this morning."

"…What's going to happen?"

"…."

"Is it bad?" I asked in worry, Sora not responding.

"We don't know," he confessed. "This'll be the first time that we've gone against an order like this." Seeing my facial expression full of concern and worry, he continued. "But it can't be that bad. We're needed to help keep the order. It's our duty as Keyblade bearers."

"Sounds like a tough job," I said softly, looking down at the ground. And Riku and Sora were so young; they shouldn't have had such a great burden.

"It is, but it's an honor to be able to defend the things that matter," Sora reassured me, making Kairi smile. "We wouldn't have been given this task if we couldn't handle it."

"Hm," I hummed in agreement, nodding as a faint smile appeared on my lips. Sora was right; he and Riku could handle it. The Keyblader in front of me nodded, and again I noticed him look past me for signs of Riku and the King. When there was clearly nothing there, he looked back to me.

"We should sit down. It might be a while."

Kairi and I followed Sora's instructions, and after a few moments, he did as well. He sat down and kept his eyes on the direction that Riku and the King walked off to a while ago.

None of us said a word for a long time; what was there to talk about? It was like we were waiting for a verdict to be reached in a court. The only difference was that I wasn't guilty or accused of any wrong doing. But I would still be the one punished if the outcome was unfavorable.

Riku could talk the King out of administering justice. And it seemed like the two of them were good friends, so I sincerely hoped that Riku would be able to get the King to let this slide. I didn't want to have anything else happen. Hadn't I gone through enough? I lost everything, and now I could possibly lose my new friends.

_**No. **_

That wasn't going to happen. Riku and Sora wouldn't let it. But I was still afraid. Not only was I afraid for myself, but I was also afraid for my world. What were my friends going through when the world was covered in Darkness? My Mom? Were they suffering…?

"Steph," Kairi said softly, nudging me. I hummed automatically and looked behind me when she jerked her head in that direction. Riku and the King were returning, and the three of us that were left behind rose to our feet in anticipation. I noticed Sora and Kairi standing on either side of me as if protecting me, and that action reminded me of what could possibly happen here. What had the King decided?

I didn't have to wait long, because Riku and the King both walked up the small set of stairs and stopped by the three of us.

"Welp guys, I gotta get goin'," Mickey said, looking over all three of us. He then turned to Riku, looking up at him. "Let me know how things go with the search."

"I will," Riku promised.

_The search?_ Mickey must have been referring to the search Sora and Riku were doing before Twilight Town was taken by Darkness.

"Bye, everyone," King Mickey said, his tone as optimistic and cheerful as ever. He waved to all of us and I waved back lightly, all of my friends doing the same. He was leaving? Just like that? He turned and started walking away, and Sora and Riku paid especially close attention as he went back to his ship. Of course, I did as well, since Sora had me worried that something could happen.

It only took a few moments for the King to get into his ship. But to me, it felt like an eternity. Was anything going to happen? Was there any danger? How did things with the King go? I kept glancing over at Riku, but he wouldn't return my gaze, staring at the ship as it lifted up into the air. It was then that I looked over as well, seeing it speed up into the sky and then disappear into nowhere. _Whoa. _

When I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, I turned my gaze to the person that moved. Riku. My eyes locked on his and he did the same, though he spoke to everyone.

"The King isn't going to do anything," he declared then, which allowed me, Sora, and Kairi to sigh in relief. "He says that Steph can stay here until Twilight Town is restored, and then we'll see what happens from there."

Catching onto what he meant, I shifted my gaze to the ground. What _was _I going to do once I could go home? Of course I wanted to go and be with my friends and (surprisingly) my mom, but what about Riku? And Sora, and Kairi? I didn't want to lose these friends…

"We'll see what happens," Riku repeated when he must have sensed my thoughts. But then he looked to Sora. "Sora, the King's got a lead on the agents. We need to pack up and leave tonight to hunt them down again."

_Tonight? _I felt myself get a little panicked at that, though I tried not to let it show on the outside. I didn't know if I was ready for Riku to leave yet, since he was my closest friend here. Sure, Kairi and I were getting closer, but it was different than whatever it was I had with Riku.

"Got it," Sora said with a nod, speaking to Riku and breaking through my thoughts. I looked back up and saw Riku glance over at me, but then he nodded back to Sora.

"I'm heading back to the mainland. Steph, you wanna come?" Riku asked.

"Sure," I managed to say, trying very hard to not let my thoughts show through my voice. But I noticed a change in Riku's eyes even behind his hair, and I knew once again that he read me like a book. However, he didn't say anything. Instead, he started walking towards the boats, and I followed close behind him after I gave Sora and Kairi a weak wave in farewell. They returned the sentiment, watching me and Riku walk away until we were close to the dock.

I knelt down and untied the boat I had used to come to the island, noticing Riku already climbing into his boat nearby. I carefully gripped the dock and got into mine, not wanting it to tip. Even if this was shallow water and I would have been fine if I fell, I also would have been embarrassed.

Fortunately for me, I got into the boat and it didn't tip as I sat down. I noticed Riku start paddling a few moments before I did, and that was probably done so that we would both have room to paddle out without running into each other. That was kind of him to consider that when there was probably so much more going on in his mind.

My theory was proven when the ride back was silent, neither of us speaking to each other. I could guess what he was thinking about, because I was thinking about the same thing. He was leaving. **Tonight.** And this was probably going to be dangerous. I knew that his whole life was full of danger, but I didn't like him running into it. Why was it that I felt so strongly about not wanting him to get into danger?

I didn't answer that question as I pulled into the dock, and I noticed that Riku was already on deck. His boat was already tied, so he knelt down and took the rope off of my boat and started tying it for me. When it was done, I smiled weakly in thanks, and he did the same to recognize my gratitude.

I used the ladder beside me and climbed up it, subconsciously straightening my pants and shirt when I was upright on the deck. But then I felt Riku's gaze on me, so I looked up and silently returned it. I didn't say anything, not knowing what words to speak. I didn't want him to leave…I was scared for him. And for me. What would happen when he was gone?

"You okay?" Riku asked, his eyes staying locked on mine.

"I guess," I said softly, though I avoided his eyes as I looked down at the ground. That was something I always did when I lied, not that Riku would know me well enough to realize that.

Riku sighed, shaking his head as he stepped towards me. "You really aren't a good liar. I almost wish you were, so I wouldn't feel bad about leaving…"

"Sorry," I automatically said, biting my lip.

"You know that everything's going to be fine, right?"

"…Sure."

Riku stepped forward, setting a hand on my shoulder. "We'll be alright," he promised softly. "Just have faith."

I looked up into his eyes and noticed how badly he wanted me to have faith, and I couldn't help but smile softly at his open emotion. "I will," I assured him. If we were more intimate, I would have leaned my head to the side on his arm that was nearby, but we weren't there. Not yet.

Riku smiled softly and nodded, taking his hand back from my shoulder. He looked towards the sky then, and I did as well to see that the sun was lower in the sky. It was probably early evening already. Where had the day gone?

"Steph?"

"Mm?"

"…I didn't just bring you back to the mainland to ask if you were alright," Riku confessed.

"Oh?" I asked, wondering what he was referring to.

"I have one more evening before I go," he started. "And there's something that I've been meaning to have you do with me for the past few days." He paused as if to keep me hanging, but then he continued. "Steph, I want you to meet my parents."

My eyes widened at that, and it showed Riku that I clearly hadn't expected him to say that. "Y-your parents?" I hadn't heard a word about them since I got here, and I wondered why he wanted me to meet them. That was a scary thought.

"Family is important to me as my friends are," he explained. "I don't like keeping the two separated. So I want you to meet them, and I want them to know you too."

"But…I'm not from this world, Riku. I can't lie to your parents."

"You don't have to," Riku said calmly. "They know about what I do, and they know about other worlds. There's nothing that you have to hide from them." I bit down on my lip, knowing that I couldn't get out of this. But, I didn't know anything about his parents! How was I supposed to act in front of them?

"There's no reason to be nervous," he added. "Now let's go."

"Right now?" I asked nervously.

"Right now."

…

Later that night, I laid in my sleeping bag and just stared up at the ceiling above me. I had just glanced over at the clock and saw that it was 3 in the morning, but I wasn't tired. I couldn't stop thinking over the day. First there was the drama with the King, and then Riku took me to his house to eat dinner with his parents.

Oh, what a funny couple they were.

When Riku and I entered the kitchen, his mom dropped what she was doing and came over to give me a warm hug. Her bubbly personality was more than I expected, but all throughout the night, I found myself smiling in her presence. She insisted that I call her and her husband by their first names, and since I didn't know Riku's last name, I had no choice but to do just that.

Riku's mom was named Bethany, and there was just something about her that appealed to me. She was shorter than I was and thin, her hair only to her shoulders. She almost looked fragile, but she proved to me that she was anything but weak. Whenever Riku joked around and she was amused, she hit him on the arm and actually managed to leave a mark. But if anything showed more than her physical strength, it was the strength of her heart.

Bethany had contagious laughter, and even if she was really silly, I could tell that she had a lot of wisdom. She was opposite of Riku's dad in many ways, but not with wisdom, since the two of them both shared that quality. Andrew was a tall, stern-looking man who didn't make his own jokes too often. But he always smiled at the ones that his wife told, and I noticed the love that they shared right away. I loved seeing it, since I never saw it with my parents growing up. But I had been so young when **it **happened, so I felt like I missed out on something during my childhood.

When Bethany asked me about my parents, I didn't bother hiding the truth. I said that my mother and I didn't get along, and my father died when I was six. I saw Riku's eyes get wide when I said that, because I had never told him before. I didn't speak of my father often. But when my father was alive, we were very close. I loved him dearly.

But after dinner, we all hung out for a while until it was time for Riku to leave. And of course, I went with him to say goodbye. At the Gummi ship, it had just been me, Kairi, Sora and Riku. Obviously Sora and Kairi kissed and were a bit romantic with their farewell, but I knew that even if Riku and I did have feelings for each other, we wouldn't show it that night. It would have been awful taking a step forward in our friendship right before he left.

So, like the good friends we were, we hugged each other. I told him to be careful, and he promised that he would be. And then they were gone.

And now it was 3:18 in the morning, and I was still dwelling on everything. Kairi had fallen asleep about an hour ago, probably because she was more used to farewells than I was. I sighed softly, rolling over in the sleeping bag and shutting my eyes. Eventually, I passed out, but not before I shed a tear or two in sadness and worry.

_Riku…please come back safely. _


	11. Chapter 11: The Hero

**Author's notes: **Luthien Eriol**, I'm glad I could make you so excited about my story that you squealed when you saw my update! That makes me happy. (:**

**The more reviews the better, guys! Here's a new chapter, and it changes the plot to be more fast paced. I won't spoil anything by saying more—just enjoy the new chapter! **

…**.**

Chapter Eleven: The Hero

"Riku was quite the rascal when he was younger," Bethany was saying, the woman lowering the glass of tea that she held in her hand to the end table in front of the couch. I was sitting with her in her living room two days after Riku left, since she invited me over for lunch and an afternoon of relaxing. I was so glad that I said yes to her offer, because for the past two days, I had just laid around Kairi's house.

No, it wasn't that I was _that_ depressed. After Riku and Sora left, I just happened to catch a nasty cold. Fortunately, it didn't involve vomiting. That would have been COMPLETELY awful. It was more of a head cold, where the room was spinning every once in a while and I was always sniffling. That still wasn't fun, but it was better than throwing up.

Bethany invited me over because she figured I would be a little lost around Destiny Islands without Riku, and I greatly appreciated her thoughtfulness. And I was feeling well enough to go, so that was what I did. Upon hearing that I was sick, Bethany made me chicken-noodle soup and offered me tea after we were done lunch. I declined the latter, requesting that I just have water instead. I never did like tea.

"He and Sora…" Bethany continued, laughing and shaking her head. "They were inseparable. They always had races, sword fights…You name it. But since Riku is more of a leader than Sora, he often was the one who stirred up trouble. Sora just went along with it because of how much he looked up to Riku."

I laughed softly, shaking my head in wonder. "What kind of stuff did they do?"

"Well, they always tried sneaking up on me and Andrew in the kitchen around dinner time," Riku's mom said with a wide smile. "We always pretended that they frightened us when they made their presence know, and then they would run off and hide so they wouldn't get into trouble. It was precious."

Again, I found myself laughing, Bethany joining in with me. That really was adorable, though I found it hard to imagine Riku doing something so…childish. I couldn't imagine him as a child at all, actually. That was why I asked my next question. "Do you have any pictures?"

"I was hoping you would ask," Bethany said, sending me a wink as she rose to her feet and went to a bookshelf on the other side of the room. "I always want to show Riku's baby pictures to people, but I never want to bring it out of the blue. Riku probably wouldn't like that. So, I wait for people to ask so I have an excuse." She pulled out an album from the shelf, opening it and glancing at the pictures to make sure she had the right one.

"Here it is," Bethany said, dusting it off and starting over towards me. Within a few moments, she was sitting right beside me on the couch. One side of the book sat on my lap and the other was on hers, the two of us sitting closely so that we could see the pictures. She opened it up and started flipping through the pages, pointing out certain pictures and laughing as she told me stories.

I listened to those stories and laughed along with her, though I was more interested in the pictures themselves. Riku was such a cute little kid! His hair was a lot shorter, though it was still long compared to what the boys normally had in my world. But he was so adorable, and suddenly I found myself picturing the types of things he would do with Sora. He really was normal when he was little, wasn't he? But now he was so much more. He was** extraordinary**.

"Andrew and Gary, Sora's father, took turns taking the boys to the play island when they were little," Bethany said. "Those two wanted to go out to that island every day and explore, as if they didn't already know all the secret places that the island held. But most days, they went out and had their adventures. Those two have always been best friends."

"It must be nice, knowing that Riku has a friend to depend on," I said, thinking aloud and sharing my opinion.

"Oh honey," she said, looking at me with a soft smile and moist eyes. "You have no idea."

I smiled weakly, looking down towards the ground without thought. I think I did have an idea…With my feelings for Riku so strong, I was glad that he had somebody he could always talk to. I was happy for him, though I wished that I was lucky enough to have a relationship with someone like that. I always wanted a best friend, but I never really had one.

"I know the danger those boys walk into every time they leave," Bethany continued. "And I still get nervous each time I say goodbye. But as long as they have each other, I know that they'll be alright.

"Mm," I hummed in agreement.

"But now I bet you didn't come over just to hear me go on and on about the boys," she said with a soft smile. "Tell me what your life is like back home."

I wished that she hadn't asked that, but I knew that I couldn't refuse her since she was open with her life to me. "Um…I live in Twilight Town, and it's just me and my mom." But she already knew that; I had said that my father passed away at dinner before.

"You like it there?"

"Sometimes," I said with a light shrug. "I have a job where I work a lot of hours and I don't like the boss too much, so that's pretty frustrating."

"Mm, that's right; that's how you and Riku met," Bethany recalled. But I hadn't told her that, so I assumed that Riku had said it some other time. "Continue."

"…There's not much more to say," I said after a second of thought. "I have a few friends, but we're not too close. I'm pretty independent, I guess." I reached forward and grabbed my glass of water, lifting it to my lips when it felt warm in the room. But when I went to place it back down, my bad hand-eye coordination reared its ugly head. I set it down unevenly and it spilled all over the table, getting a few magazines wet.

I gasped at what I did, in disbelief with what I did. "I'm** so** sorry…" I said, instantly looking around to see if there were any napkins around so that I could clean up. _What have I done?_

"Don't worry about it, hun," Bethany said calmly, rising to her feet and starting towards the kitchen. "This'll be easy to clean up…"

I swallowed, actually choking back tears. I was such an idiot!

It only took a few moments for Riku's mom to reappear, towel in hand. She knelt down on the floor by the table and cleaned it up herself (which was surprising, since I expected to clean up the mess I was responsible for). She talked as she worked, her words soothing even though she wasn't looking up at me. "I'm actually pretty klutzy myself," she said with a laugh. "If you had seen some of the things that I've broken…Well, you wouldn't believe it. One time-"

Bethany finished working, so her eyes came up to me and she stopped midsentence. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" she asked upon seeing my moist eyes.

"I just…expected you to be mad," I said weakly, though I felt pathetic for feeling that way. I had to justify myself. "My mom would have screamed at me for doing something so stupid…"

The woman set down her rag and sat on the couch beside me before I could even finish, her arms wrapping around me and holding me in a motherly way. "Oh honey," she said softly. "Don't worry about it. It happens to everyone."

I felt more choked up at her sweet words and I let my head rest on her shoulder as she comforted me as a mother should have. But that wasn't the end of everything; she kept talking.

"You know what? I've had things happen much worse than this. Riku and Sora…those rascals have broken more in this house than I can count. But the possessions don't matter nearly as much as friends and family."

Tears left my eyes at Bethany's reassuring words and soft laughter, making her worried. "What's making you cry?" she asked gently, lifting a hand and brushing the hair out of my eyes.

"…You treat me better than my mother ever has," I whispered, surprised at the emotion that came through in my choked-up voice. My tears flowed more with the truth, silence surrounding us except for my sniffle. Bethany clearly didn't know what to say, not that I really expected her to know. What were you supposed to say to that?

So for a long time, Bethany just held me under one arm, her other lifted and reaching across her torso so she could run her hand over my hair. I felt myself calm down after a few moments, though I was still sad for obvious reasons.

"I'm so sorry you have to live a life like that, Steph," Bethany said softly after a few minutes of silence. "No person deserves to not be loved and cherished in their own home. Especially not a sweetheart like you."

"Thank you," I said softly, appreciating her genuine words. She nodded, rubbing her hand over my shoulder. But then I leaned forward on the couch and lifted my hands to my face, an action that made Bethany take her hands back.

"Look at me, I'm a total mess," I said with a weak, humorless laugh. "Sorry about this…"

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Bethany assured me. I nodded faintly, faintly smiling over at Bethany. _Thank you…_ "And I want you to know that you'll always have a mother here loving you," she said in reference to herself.

My eyes became moist at that, but I lifted my hands and wiped at my eyes before tears could fall. "You're trying to make me cry again!" I said in good nature, though I knew she didn't mean to do that.

"Oh honey," Bethany said with a laugh, setting her hand on my knee. "They're good tears. Tears cleanse the soul when shed for the right reason."

"That's deep," I said without thought, a large smile forming on my lips. Bethany simply laughed, though I knew that it wasn't at my expense. She squeezed my knee and smiled at me, and I knew that nothing more needed to be said.

Even if I didn't have a mother at home who loved me, I had one here in Destiny Islands. That would always be enough to make me smile.

…**.**

The next day, I was by myself. Kairi had made a promise to another friend that she would go shopping with her (some girl named Selphie), so I had to entertain myself. I would have gone to see Bethany, but I didn't want to be a bother to her. And if it was anything like yesterday, it would have been an emotional get-together. So, I kept to myself and went to the one place I knew I would have privacy: The play island.

In a way, I was glad to have some privacy. I always have been a private person who kept to myself, even if I did love my friends and cherish the time I had with them. I just liked being alone, too. I didn't like _feeling_ alone, because that meant that I had nobody to love and nobody to love me in return. I guess a better way of phrasing it would be "I like being by myself."

And out on that island, I was definitely by myself. The only problem was that it was actually a bit chilly out that day. But it was nothing that a blue long-sleeved shirt and jeans couldn't fix. It was just cool based on Destiny Island standards since this place was normally so warm (or at least, that was what I heard).

I wrapped my arms around my torso, sitting on the beach and gazing towards the mainland. Pretty soon, I would have to go back to the mainland. I forgot to bring a lunch, so I was already hungry. And I certainly didn't want to eat a coconut.

For now, though, I'd just sit on the beach and think over some things. It wasn't good to ignore everything that was going on; I knew that eventually it would build up and destroy me if I let the pressure grow. There were so many questions I had to answer, one of them being brought up by what Bethany said the previous day. She said I had a loving mother here in Destiny Islands. Did that mean that this was where I belonged, even after my home was restored?

But then again, home is where the heart is. Where was my passion? What did I love? I didn't love life in Twilight Town, if that was even considered a life. I was never really happy, just surviving. And if it weren't for Riku and Sora, I may not have survived. What happened to my friends? My mom? Were they okay…?

I exhaled a breath, pulling up my legs to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. I had to stop thinking about that. There was nothing I could do but have faith that Riku and Sora would save them. I had to stick to my other questions. Where did I belong? This place already felt like home, and Kairi and Sora were already closer to me than most of my friends back home were. And Riku…He was something else entirely.

I cared about him. A lot. But I didn't know if I could define it as "love". This all was just happening too quickly for my liking.

"Lost in thought, are we?"

My eyes instantly grew in size as I turned and looked over my shoulder, looking for the source of the voice.

"Over here," a male voice called. I followed the sound of his voice and looked over and up, seeing a person standing on the middle of the bridge. He looked buff, tall, and intimidating, even from a distance.

Cautiously, I rose to my feet, facing him. "Who are you?" I asked, glad that there was quite a distance between the two of us. If he came closer…

"My name is not important," he said in a gruff voice.

_Okay…?_ "I'd like to know who I am speaking to," I said politely, but also firmly. His name was important to me, even if I didn't know who he was or what his purpose was. I thought Kairi said nobody came to this play island…

The man laughed loudly, startling me. But after a few seconds, he calmed himself to speak. "I should have expected a comment like that out of you." His response only made my confusion grow, and surely that showed on my facial expression. "My name is Tristan."

"Okay, Tristan," I said calmly, though my heart was racing inside my chest for some reason. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I enjoy the sea breeze?" Tristan asked with amusement.

"Not many people come to this island," I recovered calmly, ignoring that creepy smirk. "And I don't see another boat here…" I turned my head to make sure, and I was correct: only my boat was tied to the deck. "…So how did you get here?"

"Smart girl," Tristan commented with a smirk still present on his face. "Asking logical questions instead of asking the one that concerns your emotions. Tell me the question that you really want to ask me."

_Okay, I__** really**__ don't like this guy,_ I thought, feeling creeped out. And what the heck did he mean about the question I really wanted to ask? "I don't know what you mean," I said.

"Yes you do," he said with a laugh. "Stop trying to hide your feelings by using logic. Let the fear cloud your mind."

"Do I have a reason to be afraid?" I asked hesitantly, though this man was certainly making me feel concerned. No, more than concerned. I was _afraid_ of him.

Tristan smiled, jumping down from the bridge and landing smoothly on his feet. "You tell me," he said, standing in his spot.

"…You're a bit…mysterious," I said in caution. "So I'm right to be cautious."

"Mysterious? Perhaps," Tristan said, taking a few steps forward. I took only one back and he stopped where he was, looking at me with piercing green eyes. "But that's not what you really wanted to say."

"…You're frightening me," I admitted after a few moments, knowing now that this was what he wanted.

"FINALLY," he said, exasperated. "I was wondering when you would give in."

I furrowed my eyebrows at his response, having half-expected him to apologize for scaring me. But that was clearly what he wanted. He wanted to be intimidating…but why?

"Why are you here?"

"It's quite simple," Tristan said smoothly, taking a few steps forward as I took a few steps back. "It seems as if the hero has fallen in love with you. And all heroes at one point or another have to rescue the girl of their dreams. It's in all good fairy-tales, you know."

"W-what…?"

"In case you didn't catch on yet, sweetheart," he said. "I'm against the hero. A bad guy. The _villain._" Just as he said the last word, I touched the back of the dock. I couldn't back up anymore! I felt my fear grow greater, my wide eyes on him. This villain came to Destiny Islands for ME? That was crazy!

"I'm nothing to Riku," I said, shaking my head. "I just met him, honest."

"That doesn't change the affection he feels towards you, now does it?" Tristan asked with a smirk, stopping a few feet in front of me. "Trust me sweetheart, I know more about you and the hero than you could guess."

I started connecting the dots now, panic coming through in my voice as I spoke. "You were in Twilight Town. You were the one who let my home be swallowed in Darkness…"

Tristan laughed, shaking his head. "I'll let you think that," he said smoothly, though his tone made me want to think otherwise. If that wasn't the case, then why would he know so much about me and Riku?

"…Were you here on Destiny Islands? Watching us?"

"Nah," he said, shaking his head again. "I couldn't have stuck around with those Keybladers here. Riku could 'smell' my Darkness."

"S-smell?"

"Oh boy, you don't know anything about the hero, do you?" Tristan asked with a sigh. "You're clueless about who he really is."

"He's Riku. My friend," I said boldly.

"Oh, so he's your _friend_ now," Tristan countered with a smirk. "Just a few moments ago, you were nothing to him." I looked at him with mouth agape, realizing that he had caught me. Drat. "But I'll fill you in about your 'friend' anyway. He's a Dark person, Stephanie. He gave into it before."

_No…That can't be right…_I thought, just staring at Tristan. "He's the kindest, most sincere person I know," I said in his defense, surprised by my anger and boldness about Riku and his past. "You're lying."

"I'm not," Tristan said. "He can sense the Darkness within people because he spent about a year of his past covered in it. Didn't he tell you that he had a bad past? Well, sweetheart, this is what he was referring to."

…_He has a point_. "I don't care if he had a bad past," I said in honesty. "I know who he is **now**. That's what matters."

"How romantic," the man said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "But now it's time for another romantic gesture. Come with me, Stephanie. It's time for your hero to rescue you from the big bad villain." He reached forward to grab me, but I stepped over to avoid his arm. He still grabbed me though, his grip secure on my upper left arm.

Fear and instinct both set in, and I flexed my right hand. My sword appeared in my grasp and I instantly swung it for the villain who was restraining me. The blow landed, making Tristan cry out in pain and release me. I took the opportunity to step out from the spot I was stuck in before, the ocean behind me as I looked at Tristan.

"If you knew me so well, you would have known that I could fight back," I said strictly, covering my fear.

"Oh, I knew that you could do that," Tristan replied, a sword appearing in his grasp. "I just didn't think that you would be stupid enough to attack somebody at least twice your size."

_Okay, I am pretty stupid. But_…"I'm not just going to let you take me," I responded.

"So strong," Tristan mocked. "So naïve. You honestly think you can defeat me? No. You can't."

Tristan suddenly vanished from in front of me, making my eyes widen. Where did he go?

The butt of a sword hit the back of my head, the impact hard enough to stun me and knock me forward. I lost my footing and started to fall forward only to have an arm wrap around my stomach and keep me from falling on the ground. I shut my eyes in pain and weakness, feeling consciousness start to leave me. But I fought to hold onto reality, even if I couldn't fight against my captor. I couldn't lose my grip on reality, no matter how hard my head was pounding now.

A portal of Darkness encased us, transporting us to a place full of Darkness. I lifted my head and looked around a little, though I only saw blackness around us. What was this place? I didn't have time to ponder it, a soft voice entering my ear.

"_You think we'll ever give into the likes of you?"_ the soft, male voice said, echoing faintly throughout this area of nothingness.

"_Of course not,"_ another soft voice said in return. _"Nor would we want you to give in. We want you to come after us."_

"_About time!"_ yet another new voice said, this one sounding familiar like the first one had.

"_Hm. Here's a little…motivation,"_ the second voice said.

The surroundings around me began to change, and I felt the disgusting feel of the Darkness go over me as Tristan and I went through another dark portal. That was Tristan's cue, apparently. Tristan and I appeared in another world, one that I had never been to. Unknown to me, it was called the Dark Depths, and this place was in a world called Hollow Bastion.

Something I did know, though, was who I was with now. Tristan removed his arm from around my stomach as he gripped my arms stead. I looked out in front of me, and at that instant, the first speaker called my name.

"Steph!" Riku cried, lowering his Keyblade to his side. Beside him, Sora also got out of his battle stance, the eyes of the two boys wide as saucers.

"Come and get us, Keyblade wielders," the man beside Tristan said.

"The path to our world is now open," Tristan added, his voice low and serious as he glared at the Keybladers in front of him, his comrade, and me. My thoughts, though, were elsewhere.

Riku was here. Sora was here. And they couldn't do anything to help me. These were the men that had been threatening them for months, and now they took me captive. My fearful eyes were on Riku's, and his were back on me. I would have spoken his name if I wasn't so scared, but I felt like my eyes conveyed my feelings. _Please…Don't let them hurt me. Please…_

"We'll be waiting," Tristan said.

"No, wait!" Riku cried.

But it was too late. A portal encased us and we were gone.


	12. Chapter 12: Captive

**Author's Note: Guys, thank you SO much for all the reviews! It was so awesome how many I got for the last chapter, and each review makes me even happier I'm doing this story. So if you're enjoying this, please review! Think of it as payment for the epic story. ;3**

**Enjoy Chapter Twelve! **

…

Chapter Twelve: Captive

It was so cold. So bitter, _freezing_ cold. I felt as if the moisture that dripped from my eyes every once in a while would freeze to my cheeks. I couldn't help but cry a little bit, scared. After I was taken away from Riku and Sora, I was thrown in some jail cell. It was cold and grey, and the only thing in the cell was chains. They were chains on the wall, but thankfully, I wasn't in chains. I was just locked in the cell.

I shivered, wrapping my arms around me. At least they gave me a cape to wear that would warm me up (and make me presentable, though I didn't understand what that meant). I pulled the black cape to cover my arms a little more, the hood down and the one button of the cape close to my neck. Why was I in this jail cell? Was I…bait? For Sora and Riku?

Tristan had said to Riku that "they" would be waiting. Who was that? Was it him and that other man? Or were there more people in this than just the two of them? I hoped not; I was scared enough of those two as it was.

The tapping on the bars made me gasp in surprise, the noise startling me when I was already on edge. I looked up and saw the stranger from before standing there, looking at me.

"Better wipe away those tears," he advised stoically. "King Olaf is ready to see you."

"K-king?" I said in shock, wiping at whatever tears remained on my face before I pushed myself to my feet. I was important enough for a King to want to see me? I found that hard to grasp, since I was a normal girl from Twilight Town two weeks ago. Now, I wasn't sure who I was.

"Don't make me repeat myself," the man said, catching my attention. "Come." He opened the door to the cell so that I could come with him, and I knew that he hadn't said it as a request. I was coming with him, whether I wanted to or not. I started walking, not tripping over the cape that draped behind him when I walked down a small step at the front of the cell.

The stranger motioned for me to walk with him, and he started walking without restraining me or grabbing onto me to make sure that I stayed with him. At first, I was confused, but then I realized that I had no place to run to, anyway.

I walked by the side of this big man, my eyes wandering throughout the area as we walked through a dark hall. The walls were gray and black, but the castle wasn't a medieval one that would be uncomfortable to live in. It looked semi-modern, just dark in color. Dark…just like the hearts of the people who kidnapped me.

I shivered, folding my arms over my chest. What a nasty thought.

"It'll get cold in the cell tonight," the man said. "I suggest you take off your cape and use it as a blanket."

I looked over at him, confused by how his suggestion seemed like a genuine one to help me be more comfortable. He was the villain; he wasn't supposed to be kind to me at all. "Um, thanks?" I said, confusion coming through in my voice. But he didn't elaborate on anything to take away that confusion; he just nodded and kept looking forward as we walked.

This was so bizarre. I mean, I knew people sometimes got kidnapped and stuff, but they didn't get taken to other _worlds_. Most people didn't even know about other worlds. What made me so different that I did, and I also got kidnapped to this place?

I wasn't sure, but I did have one question that I hoped the man beside me would answer. "…What's your name?"

"Gregory."

I looked over at him at the simple answer, my eyes finding his face. Gregory. The name actually seemed to fit him. But, his face reminded me of somebody I saw before, and I didn't believe in coincidence, not when the people directly knew each other. "You look like Tristan."

"He's my brother," he responded, keeping his gaze forward as he turned a corner and kept walking through the castle. "King Olaf is also my sibling," he added.

"The three of you are brothers?" I asked in surprise, keeping my eyes on him when we walked.

"Correct," Gregory responded.

"So…Why is he the one that's King?"

Gregory turned his head sharply to look at me, eyes narrowing in anger even though we kept walking. "Look, if this is some kind of a ploy to turn me against Olaf, then you're an idiot for trying to separate my family with your little tricks!"

I cowered a little, my big blue eyes looking up at his angry greens. "I-I just wanted to know more about this place," I squeaked. "Since it seems like I'm going to be here for a while." I hoped that wouldn't be the case because this place frightened me, but I didn't know how long it would take for Riku and Sora to come. If they even were able to come at all.

Gregory turned to look forward, his expression calming when he realized that he made a mistake in judging me so harshly. "He's the eldest," he said. "And a natural leader."

I nodded slightly, my fear starting to fade again when Gregory didn't snap at me. I knew I was pushing my luck by asking questions, but I had to know; I was so confused about a lot of things. I needed answers. "What world is this, anyway?" I asked softly.

"It was once called Cadia," he responded. "Now it is called Tebros. A name that King Olaf chose after he became king of the land."

"Tebros," I repeated softly, my eyes wandering to the ground before I looked back over at the captor who was actually indulging me with these questions. "What does it mean?"

"Darkness."

My hands curled into light fists as I lifted them to my lips, my gaze going down towards the ground. Darkness. It seemed so fitting for a place like this. I didn't see sunlight or windows anywhere, only lights along the walls guiding our steps. But even more than that, this place was so serious and intimidating. Just like the Darkness in general, not just a lack of light.

"The previous name, Cadia, meant 'land of peace,'" Gregory said upon hearing my silence. "The name was no longer fitting after certain…circumstances."

"…?" I silently looked to Gregory, the question written on my expression. What circumstances were large enough to change a world from peace to Darkness?

"No time for a history lesson," Gregory said, stopping by a closed door. "We're here."

I shyly folded my hands in front of me, looking at the intricate door in front of me and Gregory. The King…was he kinder like Gregory was? Or would he be cruel, wicked and cunning like Tristan?

There was no time to ask these questions, or even consider speaking them aloud, for Gregory reached for the handle of the door and pulled it towards us. He motioned for me to go in; apparently he wouldn't be staying with me. "Thank you…Gregory," I said softly. Even if he was my enemy, at least he showed me some kindness when he didn't need to. It was appreciated.

The burly man nodded, and I knew I had to go in right away. I gripped my hands more tightly and walked in, the door shutting promptly behind me. The loudness of the slam made me jump, and I also spun around on my feet a little bit in time to hear it lock. I bit down on my lip in nervousness, lifting a hand to tuck back a strand of hair out of nervous habit. But then I looked around, needing to know what room I was now locked in.

I looked up at the ceiling and saw an intricate design on it, angels and demons fighting with swords, spears, and arrows. It was clear that the demons were winning.

I stared up at it, eyes wide and seeing all the detail. I didn't know what it meant, but I knew that it surely wasn't a good thing. Good and evil…Light and Darkness…the Light was supposed to be the victor. In this world, though, Darkness reigned supreme.

"Stephanie."

A startled gasp left my lips as I lowered my gaze and finally saw what I neglected to see before. A long dining table with food spread out across its length. There was a chair on either end of the table, and in the chair furthest from me, there was a man. The King, who just spoke my name.

"Welcome to the kingdom of Tebros," King Olaf said in a deep voice. "Dine with me."

I hesitantly moved over to the chair at the end of the table and sat myself down, though I didn't take my eyes off of the king. I didn't know what to make of him; his voice made him seem like he'd be threatening like Tristan, but he hadn't said anything harsh, so that made me feel like he was more like Gregory. I knew I couldn't make a decision right now, so I would have to find out more about this man to see what his true nature was.

"Take whatever food you would like," he said to me. "You must be hungry after being abducted."

…_.Bold,_ I thought, seeing how he brought up my kidnapping right away. _He's definitely bold._ But I wasn't so sure about taking the food. I was starving, but I was afraid that the food could be…poisoned. I mean, what a way to kill me off easily, right? I wouldn't even know what hit me.

"The food is perfectly edible," King Olaf said upon seeing my hesitation. "If we wanted you killed, we would have done it already. Please, eat."

At that, I realized that my fears were for nothing (concerning the food). He was right; they didn't want me dead, at least not yet. I grabbed my plate and reached for some food in front of me to put onto it, careful not to tip the glass of water in front of me.

"I heard that you gave Tristan a hard time with coming here," the king said. "I apologize for any unnecessary violence."

"…Sir," I said softly, disregarding the food for a few moments as I looked up at him. "It's kind of you to offer an apology, but if I'm not mistaken, you're responsible for me being taken in the first place."

King Olaf laughed richly, though it wasn't a very pleasant laugh. This guy was sending me mixed signals for sure; I couldn't say for sure who he was. I didn't have time to dwell on that, though, since he spoke again. "Smart girl," he said once his laughter was completely gone. "Yes, as king of this world, it was I who ordered your capture."

"Why would you do this?" I asked, my eyes becoming moist in sadness. "I haven't done anything against you or your kingdom."

"Your crimes run deeper than you could ever know," King Olaf said, his voice serious and grave. "There is very much you have to learn, about this world and about the Darkness. Your naïve heart is ignorant to the greater battle."

"You mean…good and evil? Angels and demons?" I asked, glancing up at the ceiling.

"Perhaps you are not as unaware as we believed you were," the man confessed after a moment. "But yes, that is what I refer to. Do you know who will be victorious in the end?"

"The Light."

"Wrong," he said calmly, though his facial expression changed to show a bit of anger. "In this world—no, in _all_ worlds, Darkness reigns supreme. Can't you see the wicked hearts of people? All people have Darkness within them at birth. Their nature is naturally wicked, cruel, and cunning. Those of us who follow the Darkness embrace those natures instead of fighting ourselves. It makes sense, does it not?"

I finished chewing some food, formulating a thought then. It made sense, but it was the most sad excuse for being evil I ever heard. "But Darkness isn't the only thing in a person's heart," I said. "The Light is naturally there too."

"Perhaps," he agreed, prepared for that defense. "But what is stronger in the human heart? How often does a 'good' person fall to their selfish, dark desires? More often than they actually are god, that is for sure. This is proof that Darkness is stronger."

"But it's not," I said in defense of the Light. Of all the good things in the world. "If the Darkness was so strong, then why hasn't it snuffed out the Light in every person's heart? I know, there's Darkness within every heart. Even mine. I don't know if I can ever get rid of it completely. But as long as I have my Light burning strong enough, I'll keep hoping that one day I can conquer my evil desires."

"Conquering…Why would you even bother with that?" King Olaf asked with a mocking laugh. "Don't you see, child? Why conquer anything when you can possess it and own it instead? It is already within you; all you need to do is embrace it."

"You could say the same for Light," I said softly. "It's already in your heart, why fight against it?"

"Because the Light is weak!" King Olaf spat in anger, slamming a fist against the table. I jumped, nearly dropping the glass of water that I held in my hand. "Wretched girl! Can't you see that your ploy is one that will never succeed? Your life is a waste if you follow the wrong master."

_You're right about that,_ I wanted to say, playing with my food a little bit to avoid looking up at the angry king. Life was pointless if you were on the wrong side of the fight. But I knew that I wasn't the one following the wrong master; it was King Olaf and his brothers. Nothing was gained by following darkness, only greed and hatred. I supposed that one gained power, too, but it was power that would corrupt a person. The power from the Light was healing and it did not sabotage the person who depended on its power.

Nothing could sway my loyalty to the Light in the first place, especially not a cruel, cunning man who was the enemy of my friends. And he kidnapped me, so how was I supposed to take anything he said seriously?

"Forget it," King Olaf said, his voice calmer when he spoke again after a few minutes. "I was hoping that you could make things more interesting for us, but I see you won't indulge ideas like that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked in suspicion. Olaf wasn't making any sense here. What could I possibly do to make things more interesting for them? Give into the Darkness? Yeah, right! I would never do that.

"Imagine your hero coming to save you only to find that you've turned against him," King Olaf replied with a darker tone. "Why, it would have not only crushed the Keyblader, but it would have provided us with great satisfaction."

"…You're monsters," I said lowly, anger rising up in me. How could they want to hurt Riku and Sora like that? "How could you be so cruel?" I nearly shouted, setting my hands on the table and rising to my feet. I may have been acting angry, but truly…I was scared. I never thought I'd meet a person as cruel and heartless as the man sitting across the table.

"My, my, didn't we just finish talking about this?" the king asked darkly, though he smiled at me. "We follow Darkness. That should answer any questions you have about our ethics."

I bit down on my lip, though I was still furious.

"Don't worry, we won't hurt you, not yet," he said. "We'll wait for the hero to come. You'll look into each other's eyes one last time, and then you'll die. Your hero will not be able to save this damsel in distress."

"I'm not as helpless as you think!" I cried, subtly grabbing a steak knife that was already by my hand on the table. I tightened my grip on the handle and then lifted my wrist, flicking it and throwing it at the king's head with all my might. I hated killing, especially like this, but I was no damsel in distress. And I wouldn't let him use me for his own selfish purposes.

But there was a problem: the knife didn't hit him.

An invisible barrier appeared in front of him without him even flinching, the sharp knife bouncing off of it and landing on the table in front of the villain. His facial expression didn't even change during that whole thing; he was clearly more prepared for my defensiveness than I thought he would be.

I looked at him in awe and fear, my eyes wide when I saw him pick up the knife and look at it.

"Nice aim," he said casually, setting it back down on the table. I was relieved to see it out of his hand, but I knew that it didn't mean anything. I walked backwards a few steps even though I knew I had nowhere to go, my wide eyes stuck on him. Oh my goodness…

"What was that you said before? About not being helpless?" he continued, rising up from his seat and starting towards me. With wide eyes and fear coursing through my veins, I backed into a wall. I gasped softly and set my hands against the wall, looking up at the king coming closer. "You're more helpless than you could ever know, my dear."

King Olaf stood right in front of me, his hands going to the walls on either side of me as he stared down at me. "And I swear to you, you will be dead by the end of all this. I would have great pleasure terminating you at this very moment, but now is not the right time. You just wait."

I cowered against the wall, biting down on my lip as my eyes because moist. At first I didn't recognize the soft whimper that left through my own pair of lips, my bright blue eyes on the man glaring down at me. I could smell his breath, he was so close.

The king eventually pulled away from me, and I slid down against the wall as the tears started falling again. He was going to kill me…I was going to die. Not right at that moment I wasn't, but did it really make that big of a difference? It was a sure thing, unless Riku and Sora managed to save me somehow.

"Gregory!" King Olaf hollered at the door. I looked over and saw it open, my "friend" from earlier stepping inside and seeing the two of us against the front wall. "Take Stephanie back to her cell. And prepare for the Keyblade wielders; they will surely be on our world in a matter of hours."

"Yes Your Majesty," Gregory responded stoically, entering the room and walking over to me as the king retreated. He grabbed me by my arms and then roughly turned me around, his hands staying on my shoulders as he led me out of the room in a not very gentle way.

As I was being forced out, I heard the king call to me. "Enjoy your last few hours alive!"

A soft sob left my lips, but then the door to the dining room shut and I realized nobody but me and Gregory could hear my soft crying. When we turned a corner and the entrance to the room was no longer visible, he took his hands off of my shoulders and walked beside me as he had before.

I lifted my hands, not thinking that I could use the cape to wipe at the tears that were streaming down my face. How could I even cry so much? It was a bit ridiculous, but any person in my situation would be scared and upset, right? That was what I told myself, to justify my tears.

During the walk back, I noticed Gregory looking at me. He didn't even try to hide it, but then I figured he didn't care about offending a person who would die in a few hours. I wondered if he would be the one to kill me. If that was the king's orders, then surely he would follow through with it. It was his brother after all, and me…I was just a stranger.

But if I was _just _a stranger, then why was he staring at me so intently? I turned to look back at him, and when he didn't look away, I asked him a question. "What?"

"Nothing," Gregory said in response, though he finally did look away from me. I didn't ask him again.

When we approached the cell, we both were silent. He opened the door and motioned for me to get in, and though I knew he showed me kindness earlier, his stern look now told me not to try fighting with him. He was strong, buff, and intimidating physically, so I figured it would be best to do what he said.

I climbed back into my cell like a good little prisoner I was, walking in a few steps before I turned around to face my captor. He shut the door and then locked it before he gazed at me for a few moments. Nothing was said, neither of us apparently finding anything worth verbalizing.

He walked away.

I crawled into a corner and started crying again, ignoring the coldness of the cell and of my heart. I started to pray; I didn't know to what or whom I was praying to, but I prayed all the same.

_Please…I need a hero. _


	13. Chapter 13: The Heroes Arrive

**Author's note: As always, thank you for the reviews. If you're following the story and you haven't written a review yet, I encourage you to do that. It only takes a minute!**

**Okay, enough of that. Enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter Thirteen: The Heroes Arrive

After Gregory left, there was no noise in the area of the castle I was trapped in. Nothing but my soft sniffles, but I stopped crying after a few minutes. Not because I wasn't afraid, but because I replaced my fear and sadness with another emotion: Determination.

I wasn't going to be a damsel in distress. I was helpless again King Olaf and Tristan and Gregory, but maybe I wasn't helpless to get out of the cell. It was worth a shot, since surely the three villains were busy preparing for Riku and Sora to arrive. My friends…I hoped that they would be alright. I had faith in them that they would set things right, but that didn't necessarily mean I would survive. Good people died every day, even innocent people like me.

I would break out of this cell or die trying. I wouldn't just die at the hands of these cruel men and let them have their way. I would fight for my life.

I rose out of my corner, flexing my right hand as my sword appeared in my grasp. My sight rested on the bars up ahead, which looked very solid and unbreakable. But I would find out how to break through them. I had to.

Running forward through the medium-sized cell, I waited until the last moment to swing my sword at the black bars. It bounced right off without even making an indent or cut in the metal bars. Discouraged but not defeated, I took a step back. While thinking of a way to break through the cell, I also listened to hear whether or not somebody would run to my cell to see what that ruckus was.

Nobody came running, because apparently nobody heard the noise.

I exhaled a soft breath in relief, not that I had much to be relieved about. I was still trapped in the cell, so it didn't matter if somebody heard me or not. Hitting the bars wasn't going to work, so I had to come up with something else…something that could break through solid iron bars.

Magic? Worth a shot.

I pointed my sword at the ground wordlessly, both of my hands on the hilt as I focused on a plan. First a fire spell to damage the bars, and then an Ice spell to make them brittle. Perhaps then I could break through and escape.

"Fire," I whispered in concentration. I jumped back and then swung my blade, a large ball of fire hurtling towards the bars. The moment it impacted, I spun on my feet again and summoned an Icy spell, a ball of ice going towards the bars. I swung my weapon and it flew to the same spot where they fire hit, but I wasn't done yet.

I ran the small distance and then hit the brittle bars with my sword, a clanging noise resulting. My sword dug into the freezing cold metal of the bars, not completely through. Not even close. And even worse than that, my sword was stuck!

I grunted, tugging at my sword to get it stuck out of the metal. I was so dumb! I should have cast more magic before I swung, and now I was in a terrible position. Not only was my sword stuck, but I also heard footsteps.

Footsteps?

I found a bit more strength within me because of fear and adrenaline, so I finally tugged the sword out of the bars. I did, however, stumble backwards and then fall on my butt like a total klutz because of the force I put behind the final tug. But I had a lot more to worry about than that; I forced myself up to my feet and I summoned my sword away without thought.

The footsteps got louder when they were closer, but I then realized that they were pretty soft and light-weight. This couldn't have been one of the bigger men coming to get me…

Sure enough, a person around my height stopped in front of the cell, thin enough to show that it was a female. But I couldn't tell much more than that, because a brown robe covered her whole figure. I tried to look underneath the hood to see her face, but the shadow created by the hood concealed her face too well. There was one thing I could tell, though, and that was how she was staring at me.

"What do you want?" I asked dumbly. I was just trying to break through the cell; she probably came to stop me. Just because she was a female doesn't mean that she couldn't kill me if she wanted to. But…why weren't the others coming? Tristan, King Olaf, and Gregory?

The stranger didn't speak. She didn't even take her stare off me as she reached for a sword that was sitting on the ground outside the cell. She pulled it out of the sheath and then swung at the bars where I had used magic, cracking the ice.

She was helping me escape.

The lady swung again and again at the icy bars as I stared in wonder and confusion, curious about who this was. Why would anyone in this castle try to help me when they surely knew what the King wanted with me? Was there some kind of rebellion stirring in the castle?

The ice shattered, making me gasp. The stranger dropped the sword onto the ground and then looked back up at me, motioning for me to quickly follow her. I wanted to, since she just helped me break out of my cell, but I couldn't just follow her out of here. Didn't she realize how suspicious this was, that she would just be getting me a little while before I was supposed to be killed? What if she was leading me into a trap?

"…Who are you?" I asked, remaining in my cell.

"Someone of the Light," she responded in a hushed tone.

"In a castle like this?" I inquired with suspicion in my voice. There was no Light in this castle; only Darkness. Who was this woman, and why was she here? Why was she helping me?

"Please, there's no time," she practically begged. "The Keyblade wielders have just entered the castle. You must meet with them, before the king realizes that you escaped."

"Riku and Sora are here?" I asked without thought, though I was immediately shushed for speaking so loud. I looked around and we both were silent for a few moments, listening for any signs of people coming into this area. There was nothing.

"I'll take them to you," the stranger said in a soft voice. She immediately spoke again, though, since she must have seen the hesitation on my facial expression. "Please, trust me."

_I don't have any other choice_, I realized. I nodded faintly and the stranger nodded in return. She backed away from the bars that were broken through as I stepped forward. I carefully climbed out of the cell without slipping on any of the ice that fell or cutting myself on the broken jail bars. I looked to my new ally and nodded slightly, keeping my eyes on her. She would lead.

The woman turned and started at a light run, her footsteps quiet as could be. I followed her and tried to keep my footsteps light as well, though her sandals made it easier for her to be quiet. I was still wearing the outfit that I was captured in—jeans, a long-sleeved blue shirt, and converse shoes. And, of course, I was still wearing the cape that was given to me to keep me warm.

Attire aside, I was ready to get out of here. My shoes made soft sounds against the hard floor, and with every noise that I made, I feared that somebody would hear us and try to stop us from escaping. I looked behind us for the millionth time, but the hall was completely empty. This was too convenient…

Maybe, though, I was just having my first stroke of good luck. We weren't going to get captured; this stranger would take me to my friends, and then things would be alright. Riku would keep me safe.

But what if this was a trap? It made perfect sense that they would get my hopes of for escaping, but really, they were leading me straight to them so that they could kill me. It was something sick and twisted enough for them to do, and it made even more sense for that to happen since I got into that argument with King Olaf.

However, my heart was telling me that I could trust this stranger who was running ahead of me and leading me down another hall. She seemed…different, than anybody else in the castle. Not dark.

I had to stop thinking like this; I was going in circles. All I could do was hope and pray that this really was good luck, and I'd be with my friends soon enough. I had to keep hope.

The stranger stopped by a corner, holding out an arm to say that I had to do the same. I nodded slightly and pressed myself against the wall in nervousness, wondering what was going on. And then I heard something that made my heart beat even faster: footsteps.

But my ally cautiously stepped out anyway, motioning for me to follow. I hesitantly did as she said, and I noticed that we were still concealed from the other people because we were at a set of stairs and the shadows concealed us. We did, however, have a view of who was coming towards this area.

Riku and Sora.

I gasped in surprise, looking to the stranger. She hadn't been deceiving me! The woman motioned for me to run to them and I immediately obeyed that order, running down the stairs towards the two boys who had Keyblades in grasp. They perked up at the noise of my footsteps and got into their stances, but I didn't care. Once they saw me, they would know that I wasn't their enemy.

I finished running down the stairs, my eyes moist with tears of relief at the sight of my two friends. Riku's eyes widened when he recognized me, and he didn't even have time to lower his Keyblade before I reached him. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, relieved to see him again.

Stunned, it took him a moment to react to how quickly I appeared and how I collided with him. He lowered his arm with the Keyblade to his side and wrapped his free arm around me, making me feel safe and secure instantly.

"Riku…" I said without thought.

"You okay?"

"I'm okay," I assured him with a faint nod, my head on his shoulder. For an instant, I thought that I felt his chin touch my head, but then he lifted his head suddenly, seeing another person coming down the stairs. I turned my head on his shoulder and looked, seeing that it was my ally.

Sora stepped forward slightly, in a defensive position as Riku kept his arm wrapped around me. "Who are you?" he asked, the stranger stopping a few feet away.

This is the part where you reveal your identity, I thought to the stranger. Take down the hood, and show us your face. But she did no such thing, speaking but not revealing her name.

"I am a prisoner in this castle," she responded. "Bound to this castle and its masters by their magic. Because of this, I cannot say who I am. But I am a friend."

Riku looked down at me for confirmation, and I glanced back at the stranger before I looked back to Riku. "She helped me escape my cell," I said softly. "I think she's sincere."

"There is so very much I want to tell you," the stranger said to us, though I somehow felt as if her gaze was directly on me. "Please, defeat the lords of this castle and meet with me afterwards. Then I will be free to tell you everything that you desire to know."

Sora exchanged a look with Riku, and both of them seemed to have the same feelings about the situation. This stranger wasn't a threat to us, and she really was an ally. Sora lowered his Keyblade to his side and stood upright, Riku staying in his current position since his guard was already down.

"…I just have one request," the prisoner said, probably looking at Riku since you could tell her chin was lifted as if she were looking at somebody tall.

"…Alright…" Riku said, his voice showing caution and confusion. I agreed with him on both counts; what could this person possibly want from us?

"Please…protect this girl," she finished, shocking all of us. "She is important to King Olaf and his brothers. They will do whatever they can to get to her." I gripped Riku more tightly at that, though he only stared at the stranger. "Please, swear that you'll protect her with your life."

"I swear it," Riku said without hesitation, squeezing me lightly before he loosened his hold on me so I could breathe comfortably.

The stranger's shoulders relaxed under the robe, but she immediately turned to look back in the direction that she came from. "They cannot know I helped you. I must find a safe place to hide before they realize what has happened." Riku, Sora, and I were all silent in understanding, our gazes encouraging her to leave. "Good luck." With that, she started running away, back the way that she came.

We all watched until she was out of our sight, and in the silence following that, I realized that I was still embracing Riku. I wondered when to let go, but then he looked down at me with soft aqua eyes. "I'm so sorry you got pulled into this," he said softly. "I promise, it'll be over soon."

I nodded faintly, taking my head off his shoulder and looking up directly into his eyes. I knew what he meant by that—he would kill the people who kidnapped me so they could never hurt me again. I bit down on my lip, looking away. To think that Riku and Sora were capable of killing even bad people made me want to shiver.

"Just stay close to us," Riku said, releasing me from his part of the embrace. "They won't hurt you."

Again, I nodded faintly, though that wasn't the only thing that I did. I released him from the embrace I had him in, because I knew that it was time to move. King Olaf, Tristan, and Gregory were still in this castle, and they would be a threat until they were terminated. Riku and Sora had to fulfill their duty as Keyblade wielders and protect the Light by vanquishing the three. I understood.

"Sora, stay close," Riku said to his younger companion. "We can't spread out when we don't know the territory or their plans."

"Got it."

I watched Sora slowly start forward, Riku doing the same. And, of course, I also started walking forward, since I wasn't about to be separated from the two boys who were going to protect me. Riku just swore that he would protect me or die trying. That scared me so much that when I caught up to him, I grabbed his hand with both of mine.

Riku looked down at me with softened eyes, not saying a word. There was really nothing to say. But at the same time, there were so many things expressed in those bright eyes of his.

_I'm so sorry._

_I know why you're holding my hand. And it's okay that you're scared._

_I wish I could have stopped this from happening._

_I won't fail you._

_Have faith in me._

I looked back up into his eyes, aware that we were still following Sora in this castle. Apparently he was the only one really on guard, but that was alright. I had a few messages to convey to Riku as well.

_I don't blame you for this, my eyes seemed to say._

_I am scared, but I'm holding your hand for another reason too._ (Alright, so maybe the latter part of that message didn't transfer. That was okay).

_Nobody could have stopped this._

_I know you won't fail._

_I do have faith. More than you know. _

Riku tore his eyes away from mine when we reached a new area, and I could tell that he was more tense. I didn't know why that was, and I didn't bother asking why. If it was important, than he would have said it aloud.

I squinted slightly to look ahead, one of my hands releasing Riku's hand and going to his arm instead. What was that, an elevator? When we got closer and Riku and Sora exchanged looks, my suspicions were confirmed. Before we got into the elevator, though, Sora turned to look at me.

"You wouldn't happen to know where they are, do you?"

I shook my head faintly, not knowing the castle too well. The only room I was in other than my cell was the dining room, and I doubt they would have a battle in there. "The only thing I know is that they planned on killing me in front of you guys."

Riku squeezed my hand roughly, and when I glanced up at his face, I saw he hadn't meant to. If it wasn't meant as a comforting gesture, than what…? Oh, I understood. He really didn't like the plans that King Olaf and his brothers had for me.

"Guess we have to take the elevator then," Sora said with a faint nod.

"This could be a trap," Riku said lowly.

"Could be," Sora agreed. "But what other choice do we have?"

Riku glanced down at me, but after a moment, he nodded to Sora. It was what we had to do, so there was no point hesitating any longer. We walked inside and Sora worked on the controls since Riku had his hands full, setting it to go to the next floor. The elevator started upwards and the three of us were silent, not knowing what to expect.

What if this was a trap? It would be hard to fight back when we were in an elevator. What were the others doing now, anyway? I was a part of their plan…Would they really try that hard to get me back only to kill me? Or would they take care of Riku and Sora first and then end my life?

The elevator door opened, and I stood a little closer to Riku when I expected somebody to stand there and try to attack us.

Nobody was there.

Riku's form relaxed slightly, but he was still very much on guard. Sora walked out first and scanned the area before he motioned to us. We came forward and silently joined him. Looking around, I saw three different halls. One straight ahead, and then one to the left and one to the right. But it seemed pretty evident that we would take the one right in front of us since it was such a large and well-lit hall.

Sora stayed in front by a few steps as Riku and I followed, and I was aware that me holding onto Riku would probably put him at a disadvantage if somebody jumped out at us. But I still didn't let go, and he didn't let go of my hand. Even if it put him and me at risk, he took the time to hold my hand. That meant more to me than words could possibly express.

We turned a corner and saw two large doors up ahead. It was the only way for us to go, and I could feel Riku tense considerably under my hand. What was going on?

"They're up ahead," Riku said tightly to Sora. "And they're waiting for us."

Sora nodded, though not much else changed with his posture. He was already on guard, so there wasn't much else that he could do to prepare for the people up ahead. What confused me, though, was how Riku knew that they were waiting for us in that room.

"…How do you know they're in there?" I hesitantly asked, looking up at Riku without releasing him.

"I can sense their Darkness," he responded simply. He stared ahead and focused, his facial expression changing a little to reveal surprise and uncertainty. "…I'm fairly certain only two of them are in there. Aren't there three of them?"

"I dunno," Sora said with a shrug, looking to me as we paused in the hallway. "Steph, do you know how many there are?"

"Three," I said with a faint nod. "I'm pretty sure that's it…Unless they have soldiers or something."

"Soldiers…We didn't consider that," Sora said in seriousness, eyebrows furrowing as he looked to Riku. "Maybe we should have brought backup."

Riku simply shrugged. "Too late now. We can't turn back. Especially not after meeting that slave and promising to free her."

"We can handle 'em anyway," Sora said with a faint smirk. "Three people, soldiers, Heartless…whatever. We'll be fine." I smiled weakly at his confidence, and Riku nodded slightly. I wondered, though, if I was going to fight. I had the ability to, but these men were really out of my league. Maybe I'd just have to defend myself. Yeah, that was it.

"You ready, Steph?" Riku asked me, still gripping my hand as he looked down at my eyes. I wanted to say that I wasn't ready, but I knew that whether I was ready or not, we were going in. So I put on a brave face and nodded.

"Ready."

We walked forward the last few steps and shoved the doors open, entering the room where the villains awaited us.


	14. Chapter 14: Betrayal

**I am SO sorry, readers. For the past month, I have been unable to login to . Yesterday, I just realized it's a problem with my computer and not the site or my account. But unfortunately, I still don't know how to solve the problem, which is why a friend of mine is posting this chapter for me. I'll try to figure this out as quickly as I can so I can keep updating the fiction. **

**Please write good reviews. This problem has me really stressed, and reviews make me happy. And also, I may post the next chapter within just a few days of this to make up for the delay. More reviews makes that more likely. (:**

**Okay, that's it. Enjoy. **

Chapter Fourteen: Betrayal

Riku was right. Not only were there two people in the room, but they were obviously waiting for us. I kept my grip on his hand and arm even as we ran forward a few steps, stopping when we had a view of the King and his brother. This was the throne room, and the King was sitting in the one throne at the front of the room. Standing next to him was Tristan.

_Where's Gregory? _

"Olaf!" Riku cried. "Where's your third henchman?"

"I'll be the one asking questions," the king replied smoothly, subtly shifting his gaze from Riku to me. "Starting with you. How did you escape your cell?"

"Fire and ice spells to make the bars brittle," I replied with a bit of pride. I felt I had the right to be proud, since I outsmarted the king and made his plan fail. I told him before that I wasn't as weak and powerless as he thought I was, and I wasn't lying. I wasn't strong in battle, but at least I had enough logic to figure out how to break out of the cell. Even if I did have help from an outside source.

"A clever move," Tristan said from beside his brother. "Perhaps we underestimated you after all, girl."

I didn't like being the center of the conversation, but Sora didn't get that memo, asking a question about me. "What were you planning, Olaf!" Sora called from the other side of me, briefly pointing his Keyblade at the king before he got back into his stance.

"It's quite simple," King Olaf replied. "We wanted to have a bit of fun. In all the stories and fairytales of various worlds, the hero had to rescue a damsel in distress. Sora, you already rescued Kairi from Xemnas, and Riku…" I heard Riku growl softly beside me at that, understanding what the king meant without him finishing.

"However, that was not our only goal," Tristan continued. "We not only wanted to create our own 'fairytale' scenario, but we wanted to twist it to our pleasure."

King Olaf took over from here. "I had a nice talk with young Stephanie. Invited her to dinner and such. We wanted to see whether or not she was ignorant enough about the battle between Light and Darkness to switch to our side."

"And your plan failed," Riku said with a light smirk. I looked over at him, confused. How in the world was he able to tell that? Or was it just an assumption since I wasn't standing over there with the enemy?

"Unfortunately, that is correct," Tristan said, frowning at me. "She was firm in her faith in the Light. Another area where we underestimated her."

"The only thing we have not underestimated is her battle skill," King Olaf said with a smirk of his own. "How could we when we've been watching her for almost a year?"

I froze at that, my grip on Riku's arm staying the same despite the shock and the fear. They had been watching me for a year? Whenever I was afraid of the shadows…I had a real reason to fear. No wonder they thought I was ignorant about Light and Darkness; they had watched me and seen that I showed no signs of knowing anything about a greater struggle. I was such an idiot for not watching my back more than I had.

"A year doesn't make sense," Riku finally managed to say, more composed than me and Sora. "You said you took her because of me. I just met her a few months ago, if that."

"I believe you underestimate _our _abilities," King Olaf said, his ugly smirk still present on his face. "There are many things you can sense when you completely immerse yourself in Darkness. You would know that too, wouldn't you, Riku?"

Again, Riku growled, taking a tiny step forward but still holding my hand. I stayed close to him, Sora on my other side. This must have been the dark path that I've heard so little about. And I felt like I wanted it to stay that way, at least for now. Why would I want to hear it from King Olaf and Tristan, anyway? My enemies would surely twist the truth and try to turn me against my friends, like they already had. I wasn't about to fall for it.

"I know the powers of Darkness," Riku said in response, glaring at the King. "That's why I know that you're lying. It's impossible to predict the future like that."

"Believe that if you will," King Olaf said, lifting a hand and waving off Riku's concerns. "By the end of the day, you won't be alive anyway."

"Yeah right!" Sora exclaimed sarcastically, his voice serious instead of goofy like I knew him to be. He and Riku were real Keyblade masters, weren't they? They were goofballs when they didn't have duty, but…I don't know. I just found it strange how they could change so radically when holding onto their weapons.

"Your confidence is wasted, boy," Tristan said. He glanced over at his brother on the throne in question, but then they seemed to decide something. "You all shall perish. Starting with the girl." My eyes widened at that, though none of us had a chance to speak before Tristan did again.

"Gregory," he called, snapping his fingers.

Riku suddenly turned around, pushing me away a little so that I couldn't hold onto him but I was still right behind his back. Though I stumbled a little bit at the shove, I caught my footing and kept myself composed despite the surprise. I looked past him in shock, seeing a person walking in the way that we came from.

Gregory. But…he was weaponless?

Riku stood in his stance with me behind him, Sora moving to stand between me and the other two enemies. My eyes, though, were struck on Gregory. Why in the world was he waltzing in here without a weapon?

"Brother?" Tristan said, sounding just as confused as I felt. "You were supposed to strike her before they knew what happened."

"I know." Gregory looked to me then, stopping a few feet away from me and my friends. He didn't move to attack, and by his tone, he didn't sound like he was planning on doing anything of the sort.

"You know?" King Olaf repeated. "Then why did you not obey? You know as well as I do that it is best to catch the enemy off guard."

Gregory kept his gaze on his siblings, not swaying. "She is not the enemy."

"_What?_" the king hissed in disbelief.

"**Gregory**!" Tristan said in outrage. "What is this madness? She is guilty of the worst crime against the throne."

_Huh?_ I thought in question, though I didn't have a chance to voice my thoughts aloud. Gregory did that first.

"She is innocent," he stated simply. "Much like the people we stole this kingdom from. I can finally see it now," Gregory ignored Riku, Sora, and I, his voice full of sorrow as he focused on the other two in the room. "Brothers, we have committed a terrible deed with plunging this world into Darkness."

"Fifteen years of living in Darkness and suddenly you want to turn to the Light? You've gone mad, Gregory."

"No," the man responded, faintly shaking his head. "I _have _been mad, for so long. Condoning the behavior that put hundreds more people through suffering because of our own selfish desires. This girl has reminded me of the people we stole things kingdom from…and made me realize that it is time to give it back."

"This is treason, Gregory," King Olaf said lowly. "You'd betray your own brothers for some…child!"

"Yes," he said without batting an eye. "I would."

All while this was going on, I was holding my breath, sensing that Riku and Sora were doing the same. Gregory was sincere, I was sure of it. Talk of betrayal was nothing to joke about.

A dense silence lingered in the room, and I didn't know who to watch…Gregory, or Tristan and Olaf. Before I could decide, Gregory spoke to Riku.

"You have my blade at your side," Gregory said softly to the person guarding me. "If you wish it."

"…Just stay away from the battle," Riku said tensely. "I'm not so sure I can trust you."

"Understood," the man responded with a nod, not sounding surprised. He probably was expecting that kind of response.

The conversation between Riku and Gregory was over, so I shifted my gaze to Olaf and Tristan by the throne. The King rose off his seat, his empty hand suddenly have a heavy axe in it. "Gregory, you may not be fighting with them, but you will die_ with _them," King Olaf said through his teeth. "That is the price of your betrayal.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." That was all that Gregory said on the subject.

"You'll pay!" Tristan roared, summoning his sword into his grasp.

"Steph, get ready," Riku said lowly to me. I nodded and summoned my sword into my grasp, my gaze on Tristan and Olaf. Riku was now focused on those two as well, since Gregory stepped away to the corner of the room so that Riku could keep an eye on him and know he wouldn't hurt anyone. But what if he was needed sometime in the battle?

Tristan hollered a battle cry, running forward and jumping at the three of us and interrupting my brief thoughts. "**Move**!" Riku ordered, jumping out of the way and dragging me with him. I felt the harsh yank on my arm and I managed to run over a few feet to the side with Riku, noticing Sora run off to the other side.

"Sora!" I cried without thought, seeing his enemy already upon him. King Olaf.

"He can take care of himself!" Riku said with a grunt, blocking a swing from Tristan. I gasped at the sparks that were created from the attack, and I instinctively took a step back as I stood behind my friend. But Riku also took a step back, Tristan forcing him to keep moving backwards to be able to block his blows.

My sword stayed in my grasp by my side, my heart beating a hundred miles per hour when Riku stayed in front of me to defend me from Tristan. Or perhaps I was thinking into it too much; Tristan was his enemy, so he wasn't necessarily fighting him because of me. Right?

I looked past Riku but was still aware of what they were doing, my sights going to Sora and King Olaf. The king was a big man, and it appeared as if his axe grew in size due to some kind of magic. It was glowing a bright color, and every time I saw Sora hit the axe, the weapon sparked. What was that all about?

"Look out!" Riku warned, getting my attention again. It was a good thing he did, too, because Tristan had jumped backwards and launched a magic attack. Ice? Riku jumped to the side to avoid it, and I did the same, but to the other side.

"Die!" Tristan cried, running for Riku when we were separated. I was shocked to say the least; I figured that he would go after me.

"Steph! Move!" Sora shouted.

My thoughts of being left alone were inaccurate. I looked up and King Olaf was in the air, glowing purple weapon in his hand. He swung and a purple wave came soaring at me, making my eyes widen in shock. Somehow, I managed to do a flip over the horizontal beam and avoid it, though I wasn't safe for long.

King Olaf came down at a great speed, swinging his axe at me before he even touched down on the ground. Again, somehow I stepped back and avoided the weapon that went for my throat.

"Foolish girl!" the king cried. "Perish!"

He chucked the axe at me and I lifted my sword, managing to block it and make it drop to the ground. But a current ran through the axe to my sword in the brief moment that they were touching, making me feel almost as if I had been electrocuted. I gasped in shock, my sword still upright and loosely in my grasp._ Ouch!_

There was no time to reflect on the pain. The king was upon me again, only with his weapon back in his hand after the throw. His furious expression, the magical weapon in his grasp and right in front of me…I was going to die.

Somebody tugged me out of the way at the last moment, throwing me down into a chair. My head hit the back of the throne, but despite the spinning sensation I felt because of the impact, I managed to keep my sword in my grasp. Wincing, I looked up to see who was now fighting the king. Riku. And Sora was now occupied with Tristan, so I had no opponent to worry about.

I forced myself to sit up in the chair, though I lifted a hand to my spinning head. Ugh, how hard did I hit it?

_These guys are totally out of my league…_

Regardless, I would stand and be ready to defend myself. If that wasn't the case a minute ago, I would have been dead.

"Stay," a voice said.

I looked up, seeing Gregory standing next to my chair.

"It's where you belong," he said.

Shaking my head, I tightened my grasp on my sword. That didn't make sense. "I need to be up and ready to defend myself," I said a little breathlessly, pushing myself out of the throne. "Your brothers won't go easy on me."

"Let me fight beside you."

"I can't," I said, faintly shaking my head again. "My friends don't know for sure which side you're on. If they mistake anything, they'll kill you."

Realizing my logic, he nodded. It also helped that Riku shouted something then.

"Gregory!" Riku hollered. "I told you to stay away!"

The man lifted his hands in surrender, stepping away. But Riku was already distracted from his battle because of it. King Olaf swung his axe and hit him, making him cry out in pain.

"Riku!" I cried without thought. He was hurt! But it wasn't over yet, for Olaf then swung his axe again and again at Riku, performing a powerful combo. Riku was able to block maybe one swing, but it wasn't good enough. The axe glowed green and struck Riku's fighting arm, making him cry out in pain.

And then, to my horror, the king hit him in the chest and sent him flying. He landed on the ground with a thud closer to me, and even though he tried moving, it was obvious he was hurt.

I gasped, running over to him without thought. "Riku," I said in worry, kneeling down beside him as he tried to sit up. But he couldn't do it; he was too wounded. That only showed when he lifted a hand to his chest and looked at Olaf, refusing to look at me when he was in pain.

"I can't move my arm!" he said with a grunt. "He must have used some kind of spell to paralyze it."

Again, I gasped, looking down at Riku's arm. It didn't look like there was much outward damage, but if he said it was paralyzed, then I believed him. What were we going to do?

"Well, this is convenient," King Olaf said, slowly walking over to us. "Now I can kill you both with one blow."

"Steph, move away," Riku ordered softly, grunting as he tried to sit himself up. He managed to do that, but that was all he was really able to do. And King Olaf was coming closer, but I wouldn't leave him. I couldn't.

"I won't," I said, though my voice trembled faintly in worry and fright.

"_Steph!"_ he hissed in protest.

He didn't have long to fight me, though, since King Olaf stopped in front of us with his weapon in his grasp. He lifted it menacingly, taunting us with it. I whimpered a little at his pleased facial expression, wrapping my arms around Riku from the side. He winced faintly in pain, but he didn't tell me to let go.

"Goodbye," the wicked king said, swinging his axe to kill the two of us. But the blow didn't land.

I squeezed my eyes shut and summoned a shield around the two of us, the translucent shield enough to block Olaf's swing. In fact, it forced him to stumble back because of the force he put into the hit that failed to land. Even when it was up, I managed to breathe a soft sigh of relief. I wasn't sure if I had enough magic left to perform that move, but apparently I did.

The shield faded away after a few moments, but that was long enough, for when the shield was up, Riku used a potion to heal himself. He was already up and running for the king, starting the battle with him once again.

Of course, I automatically rose to my feet and backed away from the battle slowly. All of that just happened so quickly…there hadn't even been time to think or breathe. In fact, there _still _wasn't time to do that because Tristan and Olaf were still fighting!

Speaking of Tristan, I suddenly noticed that he broke away from his battle with Sora and came at me! _**Crap!**_

Lightning bolts rained down from the ceiling and tried to hit me, but I was already running in the opposite direction to avoid them. What was Sora doing that he allowed his enemy to get away from him again?

A bolt of lightning hit my leg, making me cry out and stumble forward. Because of the lack of feeling in my leg created by the shock, I tripped and fell down, though I caught myself before my head hit the ground. I had bigger problems than that, though…_Tristan! _

I turned to sit on my bottom and face the action, my wide eyes landing on the man walking over to me. That stranger wasn't kidding about them wanting me dead. I set my hands and feet on the ground and crawled back until I hit a wall, briefly noticing a magical barrier appear to separate me from my friends. No!

A gasp left my lips, Tristan's large hand finding its way around my neck. I lifted my free hand and grasped at his arm, but it didn't do me any good, the man strong enough to hold me by the neck and lift me off the ground without any trouble. The trouble was all mine to bear now, since I couldn't breathe with his hand choking me.

"Lemme go!" I managed to raggedly gasp, though his hand only tightened around my neck as he held me in the air with my back against the wall. The villain chuckled evilly, and in the background, I believed that I heard Riku call my name. But everything was starting to go fuzzy already. I couldn't breathe!

I kicked the best that I could, but I only hit Tristan's thighs. They were rock hard, too, no doubt with the muscle that he had. He was a warrior, and I was not. I was no match for somebody like him. Unless…

I swung my sword and hit his arm, though he only winced. That didn't make him let go of me at all! I tried to swing it again, but he used his other hand to stop mine. I would have gasped at how he twisted my wrist, but again, I could not breathe. He twisted it until I dropped the sword, my weapon clattering to the ground.

"You're powerless, girl," Tristan said with a soft, wicked chuckle. That only made me fight back harder, my hand still grasping his arm. Again, I kicked, but again, my enemy was not affected by it. I looked past him and saw Sora battling Olaf while Riku swung at the translucent blue barrier that separated us. _Riku…_

"I'm glad that I now have the pleasure of killing you," Tristan continued. "That spineless traitor didn't have it in him to kill you with your naïve blue eyes looking back at him."

He tightened his grasp on my throat further, making me gasp faintly. "I will relish it, though. Sucking the life out of you. Doing it while your friends watch. But extinguishing your Light shall be the most pleasurable part of this. Farew-"

Tristan's words were cut off in the middle of his word, something else also cutting through him at that time. I looked past the blackness that I saw because of lack of oxygen, seeing blood starting to appear on the front of Tristan's white shirt. What was that all about? Did somebody manage to break through the shield and use a magic attack? No…Looking a little further back, I noticed the sword that plunged right into his heart from behind him. Whose sword was that?

Tristan noticed it as well, turning his head to look behind him. He also released my neck a little in weakness, his eyes on the person who stabbed him. Gregory.

"Brother…You traitor," he whispered.

Gregory did not respond, only pulling his sword out and stepping away. Tristan gasped his last breath and then released me, falling backwards. But he wasn't the only one that fell.

When I could finally breathe again, I gasped in a breath and then fell to the ground, laying on my side and dropping my sword. I coughed raggedly, gasping for air. Unknown to me, the barrier vanished when Tristan was gone, allowing another person to come over.

I opened my eyes in time to see Gregory kneel down in front of me in concern, but looking past him with half-opened eyes, I saw a tall teenager running over.

"Gregory, back away!" Riku ordered. "She's mine!"

I shut my eyes but sensed Gregory move away as Riku desired, going back to where he had been standing before. After a few moments, I opened my eyes and saw Riku in front of me. But he didn't stay still, moving behind me and grabbing underneath my arms.

"Riku," I said breathlessly in protest. What was he doing?

"Don't speak."

I nodded slightly, not really wanting to talk at all. My throat was killing me. I was aware of another battle still going on, that one being only King Olaf and Sora. Riku dragged me a few feet to the area behind the throne, where we'd be hidden from Olaf's sight. He propped me up against the back of the chair, something I felt before I actually opened my eyes again and saw where we were.

My soft blue eyes opened partway, though I blinked a few times to force them open all the way. Riku's blurry figure cleared in front of me when I saw him kneeling there, his eyes locked on me. "Riku," I said hoarsely.

"You okay?" Riku asked, lifting his free hand to tuck back some hair that was stuck to my face.

"I'm okay," I whispered, my throat hurting too much for me to do anything else.

Riku's gaze turned a bit firmer, his hand briefly running over my cheek before he lowered it. "You're not fighting anymore," he declared.

"That's alright with me," I said weakly, a faint smile also appearing on my lips. Shockingly, Riku smiled faintly as well.

"Sora will finish it," Riku said, staying with me.

"Shouldn't you help him?" I asked in worry.

"I'll step in if he needs me," he assured me. "Right now, you need me more. You look like you could pass out."

"Yeah, well, I_ feel_ like I can pass out," I murmured. The choke hold would have killed me if Gregory hadn't stepped in when he had. The least that I could do was pass out, but I wasn't even going to do that. I could tell by Riku's expression that I scared him enough for one day. And besides, I wasn't completely weak. I refused to be a totally helpless "damsel in distress", even now.

"You don't need to be so strong, you know," Riku said softly, though his voice was still audible over the near battle.

"But I do," I responded quietly, shutting my eyes to gather more strength. We didn't know what would happen after King Olaf was defeated. He was powerful; couldn't he summon beasts to fight us? I had to be ready to fight back…

Riku didn't bother arguing, keeping his gaze on me but also paying attention to the battle. I kept my eyes shut and listened to the noises, gathering my strength. Something told me that this fight was far from over.


	15. Chapter 15: Another Beginning

**Hey guys! I must admit, I'm sad I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter. But I'm really excited to post this one, 'cause it's just simply amazing. So enjoy, and please review! **

**And Andreussita, thanks for the advice, but it IS a problem with my computer, not the account. I won't bother going into details, but I'm sure it's my computer and I have no idea how to fix it. ): Sad, I know.**

…**ANYWAY, enjoy! (Repeating myself 'cause I'm excited, *tee-hee*)**

Chapter Fifteen: Another Beginning

The battle raged on. I couldn't see the fight because my back was to it, my back also against the back of the throne and the majority of the room. I recovered from the choke hold after a few minutes, but I had no desire to join the fight against King Olaf.

Apparently Riku didn't have the desire to join it either, since he was still with me.

I kept my gaze on Riku for the most part, and every once in a while, he would look back at me. The look behind those aqua eyes was one that I couldn't quite identify, but I didn't care. I…liked it, for some reason.

Riku grasped my hand after a short time of us just sitting there, and I held his hand in return. Was this just a comforting gesture, or was it something more intimate? At the fire a while ago, he confessed to Sora and Kairi that he had feelings for me. He liked holding my hand right now, didn't he? And he liked it when I clutched him when we were first reunited in this castle.

A heard a cry from the battle behind me, and I shook my head faintly to come out of my thoughts. How could I think about this when Sora was fighting for his life?

"Be right back," Riku suddenly said, releasing my hand and rising to his feet with Keyblade in hand. Before I could even respond, he ran past me and to the fight. I turned to look around the chair and gasped when I saw Sora in a bad position in the fight, but Riku saved him with Dark Aura. He went against King Olaf as Sora recovered from the attack, which must have been rough.

I stood up and pressed a hand against the back of the throne, seeing Sora rise and rejoin the battle. He was alright, thank goodness. However, this shouldn't have been a surprise to me, since I knew how strong and powerful Sora and Riku both were. They were warriors.

But they were warriors against a powerful, cruel, and cunning king. Olaf…He came across as kind at first, but it was only to make me change to the Dark side. His plot failed, because I had too much confidence in the Light. His true natured showed after that, and it was showing right now as he battled my two friends.

The king of Darkness fell to Riku's blade, releasing a loud cry when he was defeated. It was…scary. It wasn't a normal scream; it held so much Darkness behind it that it actually sent a sound wave through the room that caused me pain. I stood behind the chair for protection and saw him fade away into black vapor that eventually faded away into nothingness.

Now, I couldn't sense the Darkness like Riku or Sora could, but even I could tell that the air was lighter with King Olaf and Tristan gone. Only Gregory was left, and I guessed that his aura was different, since he just betrayed the Darkness and joined my side. At least, that was what it looked like.

Riku glanced over to me, and when he saw that I was unharmed, I noticed his shoulders slump in relief. I walked out and joined him and Sora, the two of them looking a little winded.

"You guys okay?" I asked in concern, looking over both of them. I didn't see wounds, which was encouraging, but the guys looked tired.

"We're good," Sora said in response.

"You?" Riku asked.

"Mm," I hummed, nodding faintly in response. "I'm fine."

I noticed Riku's expression relax at that, and if he was a softer guy, I figured he may have hugged me. But there was no time for that anyway. I suddenly saw both Riku and Sora tense, and I looked over at Gregory to see that his weapon was still in his grasp as he stood a few yards away. What was going on?

"Get behind me," Riku said lowly.

"What? Why?"

"Do it," he repeated in the same tone, one that I was forced to obey. I moved behind him and looked around, though I still questioned his order. And then I saw it.

The ground was black in front of Riku and Sora, beasts crawling out of the black holes to stand in our dimension.

Heartless.

I turned back around to look behind myself, Riku, and Sora to see that more Heartless were rising out of the ground. They were everywhere!

"Riku," I said softly, sword in my grasp as I looked at the enemies. I felt Riku back up so that his back was against mine, Sora also by my and Riku's sides as he faced another direction.

"Focus on surviving," Riku told me. "Sora and I can defeat them if you can protect yourself."

I looked over my shoulder at that, giving Riku a look. "I'm not a damsel in distress, Riku," I said.

"Heh, right," Riku said, actually smiling faintly despite the circumstances. He got into his stance and I got into mine, knowing that what I said was true. I may not have stood a chance against Olaf or Tristan, but Heartless I could handle. They weren't that tough, and they certainly weren't as tactical as the two villains my friends defeated. We had a chance. I had a chance of redemption.

When a shadow jumped at me, I swung at it and destroyed it in one powerful swipe, though I knew not all my swings would be that powerful. I didn't have Sora and Riku's stamina.

Behind me, I heard the two of them hacking away at enemies, watching each others backs as well as watching mine. And I was watching theirs; no Heartless would get past me.

_Fire_! I internally cried, sending balls of fire at my enemies. One enemy got close enough to take a swing at me, but I killed it first.

This was the pattern that went on for quite a few minutes. I'd cast magic at one group, one would manage to slip by, and then I'd hit it before it could do me any real harm. Sora and Riku were doing fine with their battles too despite their fatigue, which was encouraging. We were all fighting for our lives, together.

None of us would fall.

At the other side of the battlefield, Gregory was fighting for his life as well. I wanted him to survive; I truly did. He saved my life, and I wanted to thank him for that. I didn't believe he was an enemy, not like these Heartless.

"There'll be no end to this!" Riku cried, either to Sora or to me. I glanced over my shoulder at him and saw him mercilessly destroy a Heartless, but while my attention was elsewhere, a Heartless leaped at me.

Turning around, I gasped, a small yelp leaving me when I realized I couldn't stop the Heartless. I lifted my sword to defend myself, my eyes squeezing shut as I braced myself for the pain.

The pain never came.

"_Desaparecer_!" a female voice cried out.

The Heartless—all of them—vanished into thin air.

At first, I believed that my eyes deceived me. It was impossible for all the Heartless to disappear, just like that. There had been so many!

All of us, Riku, Sora, Gregory and I, looked around for the source of the voice. I spotted her first, standing on a balcony above the rest of the room. Her brown robe, her stature…her voice! It was the same person who rescued me earlier!

"_Metamorphesor,_" the female said, waving a small staff through the air as she cast another spell.

Now, I thought that no spell could be more powerful than the last one. She killed off hundreds of Heartless with just a single word! But this spell was even more radical.

Everything began to change. Literally, e**verything**.

Starting at the woman, her robe transformed into one of pure white with gold etchings in it, not that I could see the details too well because we were so far away. She practically glowed, and she stood out against the grey, dark room for only a second.

The walls began to change next. They changed from dark grey to almost pure white as well, and yet the woman still stood out against it somehow. The walls and floors changed to reveal a much warmer atmosphere, one that held no Darkness whatsoever.

I looked around in awe, the room transforming to a more modern, well-kept throne room. The furniture changed to be bright and polished, the floor changed to beautiful white marble, and the dark gray rug changed to royal purple.

Undoubtedly, the whole castle changed because of that one worded spell.

Who_ was_ this woman?

"Keyblade wielders, Stephanie, Gregory," the woman called to us, her voice smooth as silk. "Please, meet me in the ball room."

She walked away and exited the room immediately.

The four of us stood still in silent wonder. Or, at least, that was what Riku, Sora and I were doing.  
Were they afraid? Because I was a little fearful of this lady's power. But if she wanted to hurt us, she would have done it already. And she wouldn't have saved me from jail earlier. No, she was definitely an ally. That was what I would tell myself.

Gregory started walking first, and I didn't have time to take in his nervous expression because his back was towards me. I supposed that he would lead the way to the ball room, because none of the rest of us knew where it was.

Riku was the next to start forward, and he subtly motioned for me to stay behind him during the walk. At first I was confused, but then I noticed that he still held his Keyblade in his grasp. Oh…he still believed that Gregory was a threat. I didn't think that it was true, but in a way, I was glad for Riku's protection, and care.

I started walking after Riku, and Sora took the rear. He wasn't thinking like Riku was, though, so he didn't hold his Keyblade in his grasp any longer. I took that as my cue as I summoned my own sword away. The threat was over now, I could just feel it.

When we first exited the throne room, my mouth parted in surprise at the hallway we were in. Just as I suspected, the whole castle changed with that one spell. This area was bright and white now as well, flowers sitting around as decoration to replace the torches that had been in the walls to light them up. The castle was so modern…nothing like fairy-tale castles. It was actually cozy.

We travelled through the castle, and I at least felt as if it was a new place all together. I glanced behind me and saw that Sora looked like he was in awe too, looking around and gazing at everything. He must have had the same mindset that I had: The battle was over, so now it was time to discover who that woman was and why she held so much power.

Gregory opened an extravagantly designed door to reveal an even more beautiful room, one that he entered first. The rest of us were close behind, though my focus was not on Gregory.

This was clearly the ball room. An intricate design was painted all across the walls, a simple yet beautiful display using fine gold paint against the white marble walls. A chandelier hanged from the center of the ceiling, though it wasn't nearly close enough to the ground for anybody to touch. This room was so huge that our footsteps echoed.

But when Riku suddenly stopped walking, I almost bumped into him because I was so distracted. Fortunately, I stopped myself beside him and Sora came to my other side. Gregory stood ahead of us and off to the side, staring at something. As soon as I followed his gaze, I knew who he was staring at.

The woman in white, who still had her hood up. Well, not for long she didn't. Her hands now free with her staff gone, she lifted both of them and grasped the hood and lowered it to reveal wavy, long, brunette hair, beautiful blue eyes, and a stunning face.

And a crown on the top of her head.

She was royalty.

All at once, we bowed down. Gregory got down on his hands and knees in front of the royal woman, but Sora, Riku, and I just got down on one knee and lowered our heads. For the first time, I noticed that Riku must have summoned his Keyblade away at some point. It must have been when I was distracted by the appearance of the castle. And now I was distracted from the royalty thinking about his Keyblade. Typical, easily-distracted me.

"Keyblade wielders," the woman said, "please do not bow to me. It is I who is indebted to you. Please, rise."

Riku and Sora both stood up slowly, but I remained kneeling, since the woman in white didn't speak to me. I kept my head down and allowed her to ignore me for a little while, not that I had much of a choice since she kept speaking to Riku and Sora right away.

"Your work against the dark King and his brother has freed me from the bondage I was in," she said. "They took over this castle and cast a spell on me to make me a lowly slave, forced to do their bidding and not fight back for so many years. You have freed me, and for that, I am eternally grateful."

"Your majesty," Gregory said, lifting his head to look up at the woman. I lifted my own head and glanced over at him, and shockingly, I believed I saw fear in his expression. And then I remembered why that was: It was because he had been working with Olaf and Tristan, and he must have been responsible for putting this woman under the spell.

"Rise, Gregory," the woman said to him. "Your actions are forgiven, for today, you have seen the errors of your ways and helped bestow me to my throne. Thank you."

Gregory rose to his feet, and the relief on his expression was very evident. I was glad for that too, because I didn't feel like Gregory was a bad guy. He saved my life from Tristan, and he didn't kill me when he had the chance to. He was a good guy.

"Stephanie, please stand. "

I rose to my feet beside Riku and Sora, subconsciously dusting myself off. By now, I had forgotten about the cloak that I wore, the one that I was given from Tristan when I first arrived in the castle. My attention was now on the royalty in front of me.

"My name is Andrea, and I am the queen of this land," she said, introducing herself to me, Riku, and Sora. "Under the curse of Darkness, this land was called Tebros, but now it shall be called Cadia once more."

"Your majesty," Riku said softly, though his voice was audible to all in the room. "Do you know about all the chaos that's been stirred amongst the worlds because of the wicked deeds of King Olaf?"

"Unfortunately, I do," Queen Andrea responded sadly. "Even while I was a slave bound to this castle, I could sense the turmoil outside Cadia. There was nothing I could do to stop it; I could only pray that the trouble would become severe enough that somebody fought back against it and came to this land to end King Olaf's reign of terror."

"How did Olaf become king, anyway?" Sora asked.

"It's a long story," the queen replied with a sigh. "But one that must be told. I suppose that the trouble first began seventeen years ago, when I gave birth to my first child. My husband and I were thrilled, because a king and queen always want to have an heir to their throne, just in case anything happens." When Riku hummed in agreement, she continued with the story.

"My husband and I treasured that child like nothing else in the world. We gave her all the love that we could, but we failed to notice the hatred she received from my key advisor. Isabella was an advisor to myself and to the king, and a powerful sorceress. She believed that she would be the heir to the throne once my husband and I passed, but she discovered the truth when we had our child. She envied the child with every bone in her body, and about three years after we had our child, she staged a coup.

"She turned servants in the castle and the leaders of the army to turn against the kingdom, and they successfully overthrew me. My husband, though, revealed that he was in on the coup, and he was having an affair with the sorceress. The two of them fled my world and took the princess with them. The sorceress actually had mercy on the child due to the wishes of my husband and kept her alive. They raised her as their own in another world, where the sorceress ruled Tebros from afar by using Olaf as her puppet. "

"It's awful that your husband betrayed you like that," I said softly, speaking for the first time.

The queen looked at me, smiling in sadness. "But he didn't," she said. "He lied to the sorceress about being on her side. He found out about the coup a few weeks before it happened and knew that he couldn't stop it, so he spoke with me and we agreed that he would have to protect our daughter. He did just that, until the sorceress saw through his act and killed him. My daughter must have been about six at the time." Andrea stared at me weirdly at that, though the sadness was still present in her expression.

"Anyway, the sorceress kept my daughter alive even after Terry, my husband, was killed. I'm not sure why except that she believed she could get something out of my daughter. Perhaps the magic abilities that are granted to those in the royal family. It's magic that the child inherits on their eighteenth birthday, so if my daughter didn't receive her powers then, Isabella probably would have killed her."

"But…what does this have to do with Olaf?" Sora inserted, asking a question I myself had been wondering about. I was wondering other things too, but those were things I would keep to myself. I would have at least waited until the end of the story to ask them.

"Well, because the sorceress was focused on keeping my daughter in the dark about her true identity and protecting her from anything that could kill her, she used Olaf to do her dirty work," Queen Andrea explained. "Isabella may have been the girl's 'mother', but she was still the ruler of Tebros, and as the ruler of a dark land, she always craved more power. She started sending out her most loyal, strong servants to different worlds to suck the power out of them and destroy the Light."

"So those were the agents we destroyed," Riku guessed.

"Correct."

"But, we couldn't destroy all of them," Sora said, faintly shaking his head. "There was one that we could never track down."

"You at least found her world, did you not?" the queen asked, getting a nod out of both Sora and Riku. Only the latter answered her verbally.

"Twilight Town."

My eyes widened at the name of my home world, but Andrea didn't seem to notice, since she kept speaking. "That was where Sorceress Isabella took residence and raised the princess as her daughter," Queen Andrea said. "But my daughter wouldn't know the difference between the sorceress and her real mother since she was taken away from me so long ago."

_Do I know this princess? The __**sorceress**__?_ I thought in wonder. Twilight Town was so small that I knew everyone there. I had to know the people from Cadia. But thinking through everyone, I had no idea who they could be. All the people in Twilight Town were so nice, so **normal**…

"So, the sorceress is the last villain from this world that we need to defeat in order to protect the worlds," Riku said, disrupting my thoughts.

"Right. She's most likely still in Twilight Town. The world should have been restored to its proper glory once King Olaf was defeated."

"We'll need to rescue the princess, too," Riku continued with his previous thoughts. "She probably won't come willingly since she doesn't know that her mother is truly her enemy."

"…But…" I said hesitantly, glancing at the queen before looking to Riku. "…Maybe I can help. I know all the people in Twilight Town, and if the princess happens to be one of my friends, maybe I can talk some sense into her."

"Your Majesty," Sora said, glancing away from me and to the queen when he had a question. "Isn't it a possibility that the princess was killed when Darkness overtook Twilight Town? Surely there were some people who fell victim to the attack."

"The princess should have had a heart with enough Light that she could withstand the Darkness," Queen Andrea said, faintly shaking her head at Sora. "But we need not worry about that, because the princess wasn't even trapped in Twilight Town when it was taken."

"The princess escaped?" Riku said in awe. "But how is that possible when the sorceress probably didn't tell her about any other worlds?" I nodded in agreement to his question, finding it logical. The sorceress wouldn't tell the princess about other worlds, because she would never want herself separated from the princess.

"I do not know all the details about what happened in Twilight Town that day," the queen said with another head-shake. "But I have seen that the princess is safe, alive, and out of Sorceress Isabella's grasp."

"…What's the princess's name?" I finally asked. If I knew her…

"Stephanie."

I blinked, not sure whether or not the queen just said my name just to say it, or if she answered my question. But, the latter was impossible, because I was the only Stephanie in Twilight Town.

"Stephanie, you are the princess, my only child. And your 'mother' is Sorceress Isabella."


	16. Chapter 16: Mommy Dearest

**Hello faithful readers. (: Here is yet another chapter, and I hate begging you guys for reviews, but I'm gonna do it anyway. Please, PLEASE review if you're reading. It only takes a minute, and it's extremely encouraging when I get thoughtful reviews. **

**For those of you who like my writing, also check out my other stories. I just released a oneshot (that has the potential to become a full-length story) about Riku and Lightning (FFXIII). Check it out if you want. **

**ALSO, I figured out that my school's network won't let me log on, which is why I'm having a friend post stuff for me on my account. Yay her! 3 **

**Okay, enough advertising/sidenotes. Enjoy the chapter. (:**

Chapter Sixteen: Mommy Dearest

"Stephanie, _you _are the princess, my only child."

I blinked in shock, time standing still at that moment. Was I really hearing this? _No…Impossible…_

"And your 'mother' is Sorceress Isabella."

"That's insane!" I shouted without thought, my emotions getting the better of me. I wouldn't stand for this! I believed bits and pieces of the story. I believed the stuff about Queen Andrea's kingdom being over thrown, and I believed the stuff about Olaf and his brothers. Heck, I even believed that somebody incredibly wicked could be living in Twilight Town with Andrea's missing daughter. But I would_ not_ believe that my mother was a witch. And I would_ not_ believe that I was a princess.

"Look, this is all some crazy misunderstanding," I said more calmly, though my voice was raised because I felt as if I needed to get my point across. "I'm not a princess. I'm just a girl from Twilight Town, okay? A typical, teenage girl who lives a normal life surrounded by **normal** people. I'm not the girl you think I am."

"But you are," Queen Andrea said, taking a few steps forward to stand closer to me. "Doesn't this story all ring too familiar within your heart? The coincidences between your own life story and that of the princess cannot be ignored…"

"They're **coincidences**," I said firmly. "You said it yourself."

"Your father's name was Terry, and he died when you were six years old," Andrea continued, stopping right in front of me. "And you've lived alone with a controlling mother since then. Think about it; she's the meanest person you know in Twilight Town."

"She's selfish, immature, and snobby," I agreed. "But she is not a witch. You think I wouldn't realize that something was wrong with her?"

"Isabella is a skilled sorceress, and her best works are done with deception," the queen said strictly. "There's no way that she would let you know about your identity. It would have ruined everything she plotted."

"No, you're wrong," I said, taking a small step back. I could see her point, but…But nothing! This was my mother she was talking badly about, and even if we never got along, she was still family. Wasn't she? "I was willing to believe some of your story, I was. But I'm not your princess."

The Queen remained silent for a moment, but then she looked over to the man who stood a few feet away. "Gregory," she said. "Tell me why you protected this girl."

"Because she is the heir to your throne, Your Majesty," Gregory responded without hesitation.

"And Riku, did you not sense something special about Stephanie? Isn't that why you protected her?" the Queen asked the eldest Keyblade wielder.

"Uh, well…" a normally composed Riku stuttered, glancing to Sora for support.

"Steph's our friend," Sora said for Riku's sake. "We didn't have any other intentions in mind when saving her." I felt like breathing a sigh of relief at the words, unbelievably glad to hear that. I knew they wouldn't rescue me and then not tell me if I was a princess if they knew the truth. But that wasn't the truth anyway. I wouldn't believe it.

"That's respectable, Keyblade wielders," Queen Andrea said, bowing her head slightly in respect before she looked back up at the three of us. "But nothing is coincidence. Fate works all things together, and you saved Stephanie for a reason. This was destiny."

Sora and Riku didn't seem to know how to respond to that, judging by their facial expressions and silence. And I didn't know what to say either, still not believing this. I believed in fate and destiny, and I had to admit these coincidences were too much to ignore. But I refused to believe I was a princess. I refused to believe that I was anything more than normal.

"Stephanie, your name itself means 'crown'," the queen said more gently, focusing solely on me. "You have the heart with more Light than Darkness, and instinct that has told you to train for battle and be prepared. You may not recall being in this kingdom, but your heart does. That says enough."

I took a small step back, the queen's gaze piercing mine. It wasn't a harsh stare, but I felt myself growing warm at how she gazed at me. I understood her logic, and that terrified me.

Because I was afraid, I didn't want to hear the rest of what Queen Andrea said. I reached up and unclipped the hook that held my cloak onto me, allowing it to fall to the ground before I turned around and ran.

My footsteps echoed throughout the area, but so did the voice that called after me. "Steph, where are you going?" Riku called.

"Away from here!"

I exited the room and let the door slam shut behind me, just running.

Running from the Queen of Cadia.

Running from the stories she fed me.

Running from my own identity.

I was running from it all in hopes of outrunning it. If I ran far away enough, then maybe all the problems would vanish. It was all I could hope for in this situation. I didn't even hear the conversation going on between the Queen, Riku, and Sora, my heartbeat the only thing I could hear in my ears. The adrenaline was coming on.

Somehow, I found my way to the Gummi ship hangar of that world, even if I had never been there before. I knew then that that was exactly what I had been looking for. Not a way to escape, but a way to go where I belonged.

My home. It should have been returned to its normal state now that the Light had returned to Cadia. I at least believed that part of the story.

I heard the footsteps before anything else, and I stopped walking when I stood right by a Gummi ship. I may not have been able to pick up the exact location of the people running towards me, but at least I could tell that there were two of them. "Steph!"

Forcing myself to turn around, I saw that I guessed right. And, as I suspected, it was only Riku and Sora. The Queen and Gregory stayed behind.

"You okay?" Sora asked when he and Riku stopped by me, both of their gazes stuck on me with concern. They had reason to look at me like that, considering how I ran out of there. But I still didn't want to realize that they weren't just asking because I ran out. The believed I was the princess who just found out my identity. And they were wrong.

"I'm going home."

Riku shook his head, standing right in front of me and placing both his hands on my shoulders. His eyes bore into mine in a way that I found myself staring right back at him, though I felt intimidated somehow.

"You're running away again," Riku said, not stating it as a question. "You're avoiding your problems."

"No, I'm going where I belong," I said firmly, lying through my teeth as I looked at Riku through narrowed eyes. "My home is restored now that the King is dead. My part in this is done. I was just an innocent bystander in the first place."

"You were at the start," Sora agreed. "But you're more than that now. Steph, you can't run away from this."

"I'm not running _from _anything!" I exclaimed defensively. "I'm running _to _home, the place where I've lived all my life. The place where I'll _stay _the rest of my life." I had no place in Cadia.

"Steph," Riku tried to reason, his voice more gentle. But that only made me more ticked. They really believed this story?

"I'm not the princess," I said.

"But Steph, you are," Sora said quietly. "The Queen's story matches up perfectly with your life, and you two look alike. She's not lying…"

"Steph," Riku said softly, squeezing my shoulders and drawing my gaze back to him. "Please, don't lie to yourself. You know as well as I do that this isn't just some big coincidence."

I simply looked up at his eyes, not responding right away. Was I lying to myself? Probably. But I would lie for just a little longer, because I couldn't handle this reality. I wasn't strong enough. "Take me home," I finally said after a few moments.

"Steph-"

"I want to see my mother for myself," I declared. If the Queen was telling the truth—

"If Queen Andrea is right, your mother is incredibly dangerous," Riku said, tightening his grip on me.

"Don't care. Take me home."

Riku glanced over at Sora, but the brunet didn't speak for once. Both of them seemed to be staring at each other with the same look, and I gazed at both of them with hard eyes. I wouldn't sway on this. Either they took me to see my mother or I went by myself. No matter the case, I wasn't going to stay here.

"…Alright," Riku finally said. "Let's go."

….

The ride to Twilight Town was a long one. Riku and Sora still didn't have the warp device on the ship fixed yet. That gave Riku plenty more time to try and reason with me, trying to get me to go back to the castle where I'd be safe. He tried every method in the book to try and break me down. Heck, he even gave me a _hug_. That was unlike him, at least according to Sora. He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes when Riku hugged me was enough. Riku really was trying to soften me.

But I wouldn't allow it. I slipped out of his embrace and sat back down in my seat and stared out the window. He and Sora stepped aside for a little while, speaking softly so I couldn't hear them. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop anyway, too lost in my thought. I blankly stared out the window for hours and then I saw my world appear.

We arrived at Twilight Town.

Sora took the controls of the ship and landed us down in front of the station. The same place where the ship was when the two of them forced me to leave, when the world was being overtaken by Darkness.

I undid my seatbelts and started towards the ramp that went down, only somebody stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Steph," Riku said. "We're coming with you."

"I don't need protection from my mother," I murmured lowly.

"Stop being so stubborn. You and I both know that's not true."

"Only **you** see it as truth!" I cried, tearing my arm out of Riku's grasp. "Now back off and let me discover the truth for myself! This is **my** life! _I'm_ the one who has to deal with the consequences of whatever I find."

Riku clearly didn't know how to respond, and neither did Sora. Both had their mouths agape at my outburst, but I didn't care. I wasn't quite myself when I rashly made my next decision.

I grunted, sprinting forward out of the ship and into Twilight town.

"No!" Riku hollered, reaching out a hand to me before he started running with Sora right on his tail.

It didn't matter that they followed right after me. Only I knew where my house was, and if I lost them, then they couldn't track me down. As I ran more into town, I noticed just how normal everything was. It was as if the Darkness had never even come, the people were acting so normal. I snuck into an empty shop and went in the door in the back, shutting it softly behind me as I entered a building where social events often happened. Nobody was there, and that was fine.

Going home this way would take longer, I realized. But I had to get Sora and Riku to back off somehow. Pressing my back against the door, I caught my breath and listened for Riku and Sora to race through the area to look for me.

But that wasn't what I heard. I heard _battle._

"There are Heartless everywhere!" Sora cried, he and Riku both battling Heartless in the same area as the shop.

"Steph! Where are you!" Riku shouted as he destroyed an enemy. I closed my eyes, curling my hands into fists. It wasn't because of the Heartless, though; it was because of Riku's tone. He was scared for me.

But I convinced myself he had no right to be worried. The Queen was lying, because my mother was no witch. She may not have been the best mother, but I still loved her, as a daughter should have. I wasn't going to betray her just because some stranger told me she was cruel and wicked. I wasn't going to buy it.

I pushed myself back off the door, my eyes opening as I looked ahead. It was time. Time for the truth.

I started walking through the building, slipping into an open area that was normally occupied by people. I had to blink at the sunlight that poured into the area, the sun so bright I didn't recognize the people several yards away.

"Steph? Hey!" my friend Emily yelled, lifting a hand and waving it to me widely. I looked over at the group and saw all my friends there, and I was joyful and concerned at the same time. I couldn't stay with them; this was an open area, and if Sora and Riku caught me, they'd scold me for running off before. But I couldn't just ignore my friends, since I was happy to see them after everything. I smiled weakly and walked over to them, stopping by the group.

"Where have you _been_?" Jess asked me. "We haven't seen you in forever!"

"Sorry," I murmured. They really didn't remember anything concerning the Darkness, did they? That was so bizarre, but I couldn't just bring it up randomly now.

"Is it that guy again?" Natalie asked with an arched brow.

"Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that…" I responded, recovering from my shock that Natalie brought it up. I never hinted to her that anything was going on between me and Riku; she didn't even know his name. None of them did.

"Steph, you gotta ditch this guy," Natalie said with a sigh, shaking her head. "He's not good for you; he's tearing you away from us!"

"W-what?" I asked in utter shock. "No, he's not-"

"Then why haven't we seen you lately?" Em asked in suspicion.

"And your mom's been worried sick, too," Tommy inserted. "She was going to go to the police today if she didn't see you."

"…I…uh, guess I better get home then," I stuttered. Yeah, that was a good excuse to leave. And a factor that proved that my mom did love me and was concerned for me. She wasn't evil… "See you guys later."

"Bye Steph," they said unenthusiastically.

I waved slightly and then started running towards my house, leaving my friends behind. She was going to call the police she was so concerned. How long did she think I was gone? How much time passed since the Darkness lifted?

It didn't matter. I was going to go home, see my mom for myself, and then if I had to, I'd let her ground me for life. Whatever, just as long as I had my mom back. As long as I knew my whole life wasn't a lie.

As I jogged through the residential part of town, I didn't see any sign of Riku or Sora. I must have lost them a long, long time ago. But that was when I remembered that they were facing Heartless. And it was actually good luck for me that they were, because that meant I was by myself. It was fate that I would see my mother by myself, and settle this once and for all.

Fate…or was it going to bring about my demise?

My house came into my sight, and I stopped outside to catch my breath. My home looked absolutely normal. And if everything really was normal, I'd go inside and see my mom working in her office room. Yeah, that was where I'd look.

I pushed the door open softly, stepping inside. "Mom?" I called hesitantly, shutting the door behind me. The downstairs seemed deserted, but did I hear...music, from upstairs? I started up there.

"Mom, are you home?"

I ascended the stairs, suddenly sensing something in the air. That wasn't music I was hearing. But what was it? She must have been on her computer, watching a video. Or in her room, watching television. If she was doing those types of things, was she really that worried about me?

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, I turned and started towards her office. But peaking inside, the area was empty. And the noise wasn't coming from there anyway.

I lifted my head and looked down the hall, seeing the room at the very end of it. The bedroom, the one I was forbidden to enter since my father died. I started walking towards it and the noise got louder and louder until I was standing right outside the bedroom that was hidden by the closed door.

"…Mom?" I asked through the door, though my voice was probably too hushed for her to hear. My hand found the handle of the door and I was hesitant to open it. Not only did it not sound like the television anymore, but I wasn't allowed in her room. Depending on how worried she was over me, she might have killed me for coming into her room.

Not literally, I had to correct myself. My mother wouldn't really kill me, because she was my parent. She loved me, and I loved her. Right?

I turned the knob for the first time in years before softly pushing the door open. What I saw was a bedroom that was nothing like the room I saw when I was a young child.

The walls were black and purple. There were bookshelves everywhere, and the room itself lacked any bright or vibrant colors. Only candles lit the room, however small they were. No windows were open, and even I, a normal girl, could tell that the room reeked of Darkness.

In the middle of it all, dressed in a black sorceress's gown with a book in hand, was my mother.

Suddenly, all my doubts and suspicions disappeared. My mother Isabella….was a witch.

The witch noticed my presence and stopped chanting, turning to look at me standing with wide eyes in the doorway. I didn't move, and neither did she. She stared at me with dark eyes, and both of us understood that I saw something that I wasn't meant to see.

But she didn't know I went to Cadia. She couldn't have. She didn't know what happened after Riku and Sora dragged me away from here.

"Mom…I'm home," I said softly, taking a small step into the room. I had to act as normal as I could; maybe I could fool her into believing I didn't know exactly who she was. I had to buy some time, until Riku and Sora tracked me down. But…they couldn't find me…they didn't know where the house was…I gulped, seeing my 'mother' stare at me long and hard.

"So you are," she finally said, lowering the book to her side. "What are you doing in here?"

"I…heard you were worried about me," I stated quietly, relying on the knowledge of my friends for help. "I tried calling through the door, but I guess you didn't hear me."

"You know this room is forbidden, child."

"I'm sorry…"

"I was trying to protect you from the truth, but now you've gone and spoiled everything by coming in to my private room," the witch said, voice smooth as silk as she took a small step towards me.

"…The truth?" I recovered after a moment, playing dumb. "Mom, why didn't you just tell me that you studied Black Magic? Instead of keeping all these secrets…."

'Mother' blinked in surprise to what I said. Was I really fooling her into believing I didn't know anything? I kept talking, so she wouldn't have time to get suspicious.

"I mean…I'm a little freaked out, but…" I had to say it, to keep my story believable, "…You're my…mother. And I have unconditional love for you because you raised me. Why didn't you…trust me?"

Isabella stared at me, long and hard. I never saw compassion in her eyes, and I wasn't surprised it wasn't present now. I knew better than to expect anything good from my mother, the witch that she was. It was unbelievable how easily I was accepting it now. But there was something that _she _wasn't accepting. My story.

"It's quite obvious," Isabella finally said. "You're lying through your teeth."

"W-what?" I stuttered, feeling my face pale. "No…"

"You think that I don't know the truth? You **dare** to think that you can outsmart me? I know EVERYTHING about what you've done and where you've been. You know the truth now, do you not?"

I stared at my "mother", backing up a step. But the sorceress wasn't having any of it. She cast some kind of silent spell, the door slamming shut behind me. I gasped, wide blue eyes looking at her. "I…"

"_Answer me_."

"I trusted you," I whispered, eyes filling with moisture. "How could you do this to me? To the worlds? I loved you…"

Sorceress Isabella only stared at me. "So you _do _know the truth," she finally said after a few moments of silence. "I'll have to do something to fix that."

"How could you do this to your own daughter?" I cried in outrage. It was her response, though, that sent chills down my spine. That, and the coldness of her heart.

"I have no daughter."


	17. Chapter 17: Speechless

**Hey guys! Thanks for continuing to read my story. To all you who subscribe and read without reviewing, I encourage you to review. You have no idea how encouraging it is to have people writing thoughtful opinions on my stuff. **

**I'm gonna advertize my other stories again—The Final Façade is a new oneshot I posted a few weeks ago with Riku and Lightning of FFXIII. If you like my writing or the characters, please check it out.**

**This chapter is shorter than others, but nevertheless, it's a good one (Heh, I think all my chapters are good for this story…)**

**ANYWAY, enjoy the new chapter (: **

Chapter Seventeen: Speechless

Riku

_There's no end to this!_ Riku thought in fury, slashing at the hundredth Heartless that got in his way. He was not only angry at the Heartless, but he was also angry with Steph. How could she be dumb enough to run off like that? If her mom got a hold of her…

Riku ground his teeth, thinking while he fought, since fighting was second-nature now. He wasn't really that mad at Steph; he was worried. Extremely so. If the story they heard in Cadia was true, then Steph's world was literally turned upside down in a matter of minutes. Riku admired her for being so strong when the Darkness attacked her world, but no matter how strong she was, this news was too much for her to handle.

She was in denial.

_And I was dumb enough to not keep her on a tighter leash,_ he thought bitterly, slashing at another Heartless. He should have known that she would be thinking irrationally in a time like this. It was a lot to take in, but she was probably worse off now than she was before. Riku knew by now that she was with her "mother".

Riku and Sora ran into Steph's group of friends a few minutes ago, and though they hadn't been eager to reveal whether or not they saw Steph, Riku eventually got them to talk. And they said that Steph already ran by to her house, the home that Riku and Sora were rushing to now.

The teen feared that they would be too late, but that didn't stop him from hurrying. These Heartless appearing was way too convenient. And how they appeared to keep only Riku and Sora busy, but not distract Steph? No doubt about it; this was a bad sign.

"There it is!" Sora said, pointing at the house that fit the description Steph's friends gave them. There it was—the two-storied home that stood right in front of them. It was a neutral color, the windows were closed, and all looked normal. From the outside.

Riku shoved his last Heartless away and sprinted past any more enemies that would keep him away from the girl he had feelings for, Keyblade still tight in his grasp as he raced to the front door. He pushed it open, Sora right behind him.

"Steph!" he hollered.

No response. But the smell of Darkness was so apparent to Riku that he didn't bother calling again. He grunted before he took off in a run, following the Darkness. Up the stairs, down the hall…There was only one room that had its door closed.

That was the room Darkness was seeping out of.

He pulled back a foot and kicked the door open instantly, the door nearly coming off its hinges because of the force. And Riku's heart nearly stopped when he saw the scene before him.

The room was dimly lit, the walls were covered with books, and the area reeked of sorcery. After being Maleficent's "student" for a while, he knew what that was like. But he noticed the witch after quickly scanning the room, seeing her a few feet away and murmuring spells over the figure that had collapsed to the ground.

"Steph," he whispered in worry.

The witch continued with her spells without being affected by Riku, though she _was_ affected when a Keyblade soared past Riku and knocked her back, making her cry out shrilly in pain. The spells stopped and the Keyblade returned to its proper owner, the boy who stepped past Riku and into the room.

"I got her," Sora said in reference to the witch. The brunet ran past Riku and swung his weapon at Isabella, who was still recovering from the first attack.

Riku didn't focus on that, however. He knew Sora would have a good handle on the witch and defeat her on his own. Riku wordlessly summoned his Keyblade away and walked in a few steps, kneeling down by the girl who was unmoving on the ground. "Steph?" he said weakly. She was on her stomach, so he couldn't see her face. He carefully turned her over and grasped her wrist, feeling her heart beating normally.

She was only unconscious.

He would have tried waking her up right then and there, but this wasn't the place where he wanted her to awaken anyway. If she saw Sora fighting her mother, she would have been…Been what? It was impossible to predict with how startling everything already was for her.

Riku wordlessly wrapped Steph's arm around his shoulders before he put one arm behind her back, the other sliding under her knees as he picked her up. He held her close to his chest and then left the room, going to take the girl he cared about to a place where she could recover from this trauma.

Steph

How many times had I fainted in the past two weeks? It seemed like way too many times, considering that I never passed out like that before. Once with the Heartless, once on the way to Destiny Islands…Those were all the examples I could think for except for the third, most recent time. And this time, the cause was one that broke my heart.

My own mother cast a spell on me.

I heard her start speaking some words I didn't understand, and then before I knew it, I was on the ground unconscious. No chance to fight back, no chance to talk to her, no nothing. She said she had no daughter, so did that mean I had no mother? The one mother I thought loved me my whole life was actually my worst enemy. And the Queen may have been my birth mother, but I didn't know her at all!

_Time to wake up._

I supposed that I would get to know her soon enough. I mean, what was I supposed to do now? My whole life was a lie. All of it. I was secretly a princess, kidnapped by my parents' enemies and forced to live a life I wasn't meant to lead. I almost wish I could have stayed in ignorance. But that never would have been the case, anyway; Isabella was only keeping me alive to harness my power. She would have killed me if I turned out to be nothing special.

_Come on, Steph. Come back._

But I **was** special, wasn't I? Apparently I had to get some kind of powers once I turned 18. That wasn't too far off. I couldn't believe I lived in ignorance for my whole life. My mother was a witch. I was a Princess. I was meant for extraordinary things. I wasn't meant to live a small, unnoticed life. I would have ruled a kingdom if things hadn't been screwed up. And now, would I go to that position again? I was still a Princess by birth, so…

_Steph? Please, snap out of it._

…So what was I going to do with my life now? Did I have a choice? I couldn't go on with how things were. What reason did I have to stay in Twilight Town without a parent? Friends, yes, but they couldn't help me like a parent would. Whether I liked it or not, I was still a "child". A child who got mixed into things way too dark.

_Steph! WAKE UP!_

_Would you just shut up already? _I wanted to holler back. _I don't want to wake up. Just let me sleep. Let me avoid facing reality a little bit longer._

"_You can't even hear me." _Wait…that voice…This wasn't just my subconscious talking to me, was it? No, of course it wasn't. It was a man's voice anyway, and it sounded desperate. Worried. Heartbroken.

"_Steph? I don't know if you're listening, but…please, wake up. Okay? You think I'm strong, but I really need to see your eyes right now. I need to know that I haven't lost you completely-"_

Riku. That was Riku that was speaking to me. He always sounded sincere whenever he spoke to me, unless he was being sarcastic. Heh, how I loved his sense of humor…

"…_Listen,"_ Riku continued. _"I don't let many people into my life. Most people have to force their way in. But you…You just suddenly appeared in my life, and ever since then, I've been the one trying to get into you. And I just…There's so much more that I still have to figure out. I want to know you more, and I want to be with you. Just…please…wake up, Steph."_

I didn't want to wake up, but I had no choice. Hearing Riku so open…so heartbroken…I had to wake up to let him see I was alright. Or, at least, see my eyes. Because I clearly wasn't alright.

As I started regaining consciousness, the first thing that I became aware of was that I was laying on my back on some kind of furniture. Whenever I passed out, I always seemed to awaken on a bed. That was probably the case today as well.

The next thing was that my hand was on the mattress beside me. Both hands were on the bed, but one of them was held in another person's hand tightly. Warm, sweaty with worry. But strong and secure, like the hand that I held when I was frightened in Cadia. I already knew who was next to me because of the voice, but even if I hadn't, I could have identified him by his grasp on my hand.

Regardless, even if I could tell who he was by touch and by sense of hearing, I wanted to see him. I peeked my eyes open, blinking a few times as I grew accustomed to the lighting in the room. My own bedroom.

I shifted my gaze over to the side and saw Riku there next to me, sitting on a chair right beside my bed. And as soon as I opened my eyes, his expression shifted from worried to relieved.

"Thank goodness," he breathed, leaning forward and using his free hand to brush a few strands of hair away from my face. I shut my eyes briefly before reopening them, wishing Riku's hand would linger longer. He was one of the best friends I had, and my feelings towards him were strong. Whatever they were.

"You okay?" Riku asked, bringing me back to the moment at hand.

I nodded faintly against the pillow, not bothering to speak. He was referring to physical health, not emotional. And what was I supposed to say about my emotions, anyway? I was heartbroken. My whole life was a lie.

"…Sorry I was late," Riku said softly, his apology making me blink in surprise. I expected him to be infuriated with me for running off. But the look in his aqua eyes…It didn't betray any anger. Only sadness and concern. Both for my sake.

"…Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked after a longer pause, his eyes never leaving me. I just shrugged at the question. How could he help? There was no way to fix anything except…_Stay with me, please. _

I opened my mouth to speak those words, but at the very end of the first word, I realized something: I didn't utter a sound. Nothing. My eyes widened and I lifted a hand to my throat, trying to speak again. But it didn't work.

"Steph? What's wrong?" Riku asked more urgently, sensing something was wrong.

_I can't speak,_ I realized in fright. Literally, I could not speak. And judging by the way Riku stared at me, he didn't realize that was what was wrong!

"Steph," he said, moving himself to the edge of the bed. I pushed myself up, getting some help when Riku suddenly reached down and wrapped his arm around my back to also get me up. It made me sit up in less than a second, my wide blue eyes going to Riku's narrowed aqua ones. He was studying me. It was just like…he was looking into my soul.

Slowly, Riku's eyes changed from inquisitive to soft and gentle, his hand also coming up to my cheek. It was less sweaty than before; he must have wiped it on his jeans a minute or two ago. The only moisture that existed was the moisture that appeared in my eyes. They weren't from fright, not anymore. It was sadness.

_My mother did this to me._

I suddenly wrapped my arms around Riku, my head finding his shoulder as my eyes closed. I couldn't speak, and I didn't know how to solve this problem. I just wanted to hold onto somebody so that they would never leave me. But Riku wouldn't leave me even if I didn't cling to him, right?

After a few seconds, Riku got the hint, wrapping his arms around me. Did he even understand the problem?

"She did something to you?" he asked softly, his lips right by my ear.

I nodded faintly.

"…You can't speak?"

I shook my head.

"Not at all?"

Again, I shook my head. No, not at all. That thought made tears reappear in my eyes, and just a small amount of moisture did leave my eyes. Well, at first anyway. After a few seconds of not holding back my emotions, my body began to tremble with the sobs I was holding back, more tears escaping my closed eyes. How were we supposed to fix this? Any of this?

Riku gently shushed me, bringing me closer and holding me tightly. His grasp showed he didn't plan on letting go, but I clung to him anyway. I had to.

For a little while, he just let me cry. He held onto me patiently without saying a single word, only shushing me every once in a while. Right now, I was glad Riku was the quiet type. Any other person would have tried finding words to make things better, but right now, words wouldn't do anything at all. The silence spoke much more soothing words.

"Listen," Riku said softly after a while of silence. He continued running his hand over my back, an action he started a while ago. "We'll fix this. You'll get your voice back, and then we'll take on the other problems one at a time, okay?"

I nodded faintly, finally opening my eyes. Riku's plan sounded like the best one available, so that was what we'd go with. After a few moments, he stopped rubbing my back, though he didn't pull back from the embrace instead.

"Let's go check on Sora, okay?"

I nodded after a moment, not realizing that Sora would be worth checking in on. What was he doing that was so important?

"…He had to fight you mom," Riku explained softly.

…_Oh._ I looked away, subconsciously loosening my hold on Riku. Yeah, then he was worth checking up on. If he got hurt because of my problems, I would have a hard time forgiving myself.

Riku released me after a few moments, getting up off the bed and offering me a hand to help me up. I gladly accepted it, and kept it, not letting go of his hand even after I was standing. And Riku didn't seem to want to let go either; his grasp on my hand was tighter than mine was on his.

Though this was my house, Riku led, since he knew where Sora was. I had to wonder, though, where my mo—Sorceress Isabella was. Did Sora…kill her?

We went down the stairs and turned into the living room, the sight before me making me blink. Sora was there, and so was Isabella, the latter sitting on the couch with her hands chained behind her back. She was beaten in the fight, but not killed. And Sora looked alright from the scuffle. I wondered how hard that battle was.

"Sora?" Riku asked.

"She won't say anything," the brunet responded.

Riku's expression turned ugly, angry and upset for my sake as he glared at Isabella. The witch, however, glared at me, while I only stared at her with wide eyes, silent. I would have been silent even if I did have my voice. Or would I have been? There were so many things that I wanted to ask her.

"Sora, get her out of here."

He obeyed Riku's order, bending down and grabbing the witch's arm. Once she was forced to stand up, I saw the chains behind her back, ones that seemed to glow. Did they prevent her from using magic? I didn't ask, not that I could speak. Sora dragged my "mother" out of the room while Riku pulled me into his strong arms and sheltered me from the sight of my mom, my former life, being led out of the door.

I tried staring at her until Riku put his hand on the back of my head and forced me to turn so I was facing into his chest, and I couldn't fight against the movement. He thought that it would be bad for me to see her leave, and maybe he was right, but…I couldn't just let my mom walk out the door. She was basically my whole life before this whole thing. Without her…Who was I? What would I do with my life?

"Steph," Riku murmured.

I didn't respond to Riku's call by moving, that being the only way I could have shown I heard him. And besides, it would have been hard to move because of his arms around me anyway. If he had something to say, then he could say it. I was all ears.

But he was silent, so I assumed that he had nothing to say after all. That was fine too. I finally realized that this was a one-sided embrace, not on my part, but on Riku's. He was the only one holding onto me.

I corrected the error and wrapped my arms around him, hearing him sigh for some reason when I did. Was it sadness? It made sense, because sadness and sorrow were all I could comprehend now.

I was so lost.


	18. Chapter 18: The Approaching Night

**Hello people everywhere! Yes, you. I see all you one-time reviewers and all you subscribers who never write reviews for my new chapters. I'm calling you out. WRITE A REVIEW! **

**Now that that's out of my system… :P I realize the last few chapters have been sadder, but I believe this one ends on a more optimistic note than the others. You'll see what I mean. And once you're done with this, go read my other stories (Shameless advertizing…gotta love it). **

**Okay, enough of that. Enjoy!**

Chapter Eighteen: The Approaching Night

I never was told what happened with my mother. All that I knew was that she was going to be dealt justice, and it seemed like that justice was death. She kidnapped me, a princess, lied to me my whole life (that wasn't a crime, but it was still terrible), threatened the worlds with Darkness, and tried to do terrible things to me with those spells.

She succeeded with much of her plan. The kidnapping obvious was a success, the worlds were severely threatened with Darkness (but were returning to normal now that she was finished), and her spell on me didn't wear off. We knew that it wouldn't, since Riku, Sora, and I were in her bedroom a few hours after everything that happened. She had many books full of spells, and we were researching to see what could break the spell on me.

It was hard enough to find the book she was using. It was like it vanished. I mean, she had been holding it when I came in. And she still held it when Sora and Riku were there. What happened to the book once she started fighting Sora? Unfortunately, my friend failed to notice that detail.

Regardless, we kept searching. We had to, to find some way to free me from this. My eyes were dry from reading the books, so I didn't cry from feeling any moisture in my eyes. A blessing in disguise.

The seconds, the minutes, the hours ticked on. There were no results, no hope of finding a cure.

I set threw my book down to the ground in frustration, successfully gaining the attention of Riku and Sora. I didn't say anything, not that I could. I just folded my arms over my chest and looked down to the ground, my expression and body language enough to get my point across. _I'm done._

Riku came over to me, setting his hands on my shoulders while turning his head to look at his best friend. "Sora, go get the Gummi Ship ready," he said. "We're gonna have to go to the King or somebody to find a cure for this."

"Alright," Sora said with a nod. I'll meet you guys at the ship." He waved slightly to me and Riku, the two of us nodding our silent farewells as he went away. He had left earlier to take the witch away and then come back to help us do our research. The ship was probably already ready, but Riku always seemed to try to get a few moments alone with me.

"Steph," Riku said, shifting his gaze to me a few moments after Sora was gone. "Don't freak out with what I'm about to tell you, okay?"

I nodded nervously while wondering what he had to say, not that I could really question him right now.

"I want you to go pack up your necessities. Toothbrush, clothes, whatever. I don't know when you'll be able to come back here. Okay?"

My gaze fell to the ground, but after a few moments, I nodded. _Alright._ I had no other choice in the matter. My old life was gone; there was no point returning here. Except, I had friends here. I didn't want to leave them, so I did have a reason to come here. But I couldn't live on the support of my friends alone. And honestly, I probably wouldn't be allowed to. Riku wouldn't let me, and neither would the queen. My…real mother.

"I'll help you pack up," Riku said, squeezing my shoulders. Again, I nodded faintly. Riku took that as his cue, released my shoulders, and then let me walk on ahead of him to my bedroom. There were some suitcases underneath my bed, so I pulled out one of them and then started packing my favorite clothes, toiletries, and maybe a book or two. I couldn't help it if I was a bookworm, even in this state.

You know what I always thought? I believed books were terrific because for a while, they let you be another person. You live out your own feelings through another character, and with them, you overcome the trial. In real life, there were no guarantees you would triumph. Only that there would be problems.

I zipped up the suitcase, catching Riku leaning against a wall and watching me. He had been for a while, since he couldn't know what I wanted or needed. I couldn't express myself well.

"All done?"

I nodded.

Riku walked over to the bed where the suitcase was sitting and easily lifted it despite its weight, setting it on the ground and pulling out the handle so he could use the wheels.

We started walking, through the house, and then through the streets. We were really leaving…

I couldn't help but blankly look around my town, my home. Not many people were out, probably because a lot of people went to the beach on beautiful days like this. I wouldn't have, though; I would have been working. I wondered what my boss thought about me not coming into work lately. I was probably just fired.

And my friends, they didn't seem happy with me either. Before, they stomped on me because they thought that Riku was trouble. I automatically looked up at him next to me as we walked, my eyes staying on him. He himself wasn't trouble, but trouble followed him close behind because of the Keyblade. He told me that himself a long, long time ago. If a week or two is considered a long time, anyway.

Riku glanced over at me eventually when he felt my gaze on him, and I still didn't look away. Riku…I snapped at him and Sora when I ran to my house to face my mother. Multiple times. I hoped he knew I was sorry for that.

He suddenly looked ahead and motioned with his head for me to do the same. Of course I followed his lead, blinking when I saw all my friends here. They weren't at the beach?

They came out of their huddle and all stared at me, their eyes surprisingly chilling even from the distance. I didn't get it; what was going on? Again I looked back over at Riku, but he didn't seem to know what was going on either.

"Steph," Natalie said from her spot, all of them staring at me. "Got a minute?"

Glancing over at Riku, my eyes asked him a silent question. Was it okay? He nodded softly, and I took that as my answer. I walked over to my group after nodding to them in response to the question. Their eyes were chilling, and their postures weren't looking too friendly either.

"We're done, Steph," Emily said once I was over there. "We understood that you worked a lot of hours to please your mom. But every time you have now, you run off with that creep-" she motioned to Riku, "—instead of hanging out with your best friends."

"You've left us in the cold long enough," Tommy said, his voice serious and different from his normal, lighthearted attitude. "We're sick of being your second choice."

_What? You're not my second choice! I love you guys!_

"You can't even say anything now because your new boyfriend is listening in," Em spat viciously. "We told you he's bad for you, but what do you do? You walk back with him, and he has your suitcase with him. You're running away with him, aren't you?"

_You don't know the situation!_ I wanted to say, but my lack of voice kept me silent and panicking. _My mother is a witch! LITERALLY! I have no place to live here anymore. Going with him is my only choice._

"Everything okay here?" a male voice asked, one that I easily recognized. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Riku right by me. I could tell by his expression he knew things weren't alright; he had been listening in, after all.

"Figures she wouldn't defend herself and let him do it instead," Natalie murmured to Amber, who hummed in agreement.

"We're just having a conversation with _our _friend," Emily said possessively.

"Sounds to me more like your shouting at her. How's that a conversation?"

_Riku…shut up!_ I thought desperately. _Don't sound so angry towards them. They don't understand! _

"And if I wasn't mistaken, I overheard you say that she wasn't your friend anymore. So much for loyalty."

My bright blue eyes widened, my eyes going to Riku. I automatically lifted a hand and hit his arm, my expression saying my thoughts. _Riku, shut up!_

"She's the one who betrayed us," Tommy spat, ignoring my and Riku's brief eye contact. "We've always thought of her as a part of our group, but she just threw us away when she met you. She's the unfaithful one."

_Not true! I didn't throw you guys out, ever! You seriously don't remember what happened with the Darkness…how I was torn away from your world and saved by Riku. How can I convince you I'm your friend when I can't even speak?_

Riku rolled his eyes. "You guys should know by now: Steph's one of the most loyal friends you'll ever find. She didn't abandon you guys."

"Save it, Riku," Amber said viciously. "I want to hear it from Steph."

_But I can't __**talk**__!_ I wanted to say. I automatically opened my mouth to try and say something, but no noise came out. None at all.

"…I knew it," Natalie mumbled before she lifted her head and spoke more clearly. "You may have tossed us out to the curb, but you still can't lie to us. You know that we're right!

"No, you're not," Riku said in my defense.

"Then why won't she answer us?" Nat returned, her mean voice making me cringe. They really, really disliked me now, didn't they?

"Because, she_ can't _talk," Riku said. "…She has laryngitis."

"Bologna." I blinked at the voice, that response being the first of a certain boy to speak. John, my friend who was apparently in love with me. "She spoke to us earlier today, before she went to see her mom. Don't treat us like we're dumb. We're not as ignorant as you think we are."

_Wait…so maybe they do know about the Darkness after all? _I thought instead of focusing on how cold John's voice was. _No, that's impossible. They can't._

"Sometime soon, Steph'll come back and tell you the real story, because trust me, you _are _ignorant to a lot," Riku said.

"No, don't bother," Natalie said, shaking her head. "We're done. Nothing can change that. Especially not some story you have to create and come back and tell us."

"Bye, Steph," Em added bitterly, leading the group away.

_No, wait! _I opened my mouth to holler. But again, no noise came out. I watched with wide eyes, seeing all of them walk away from me and Riku. They all walked with confidence, knowing that they made the right decision with leaving me being. Well, all but one.

John stopped walking when he was a few yards away, his eyes connecting with mine in sadness once he turned around. My startled blue eyes locked onto his and our gazes wouldn't tear apart for a few moments. I couldn't breathe, seeing him look at me like that. He looked….heartbroken.

And then he turned around and walked away.

I stared after him and the rest of my group, the shock the only reason why the tears wouldn't appear in my eyes. Before, I believed that my friends were a reason for me to stay on this world, to cling to my former life. Now, what friends did I have? They all viewed me as a traitor.

I felt Riku's hands on my shoulders, trying to gently turn me around. It didn't work, my feet locked on the ground as I watched my friends disappear from my sight.

"…It's just a lingering effect of the Darkness," Riku said softly, trying to help me out. "It makes people act cold and say and do things they don't mean…"

_No…they meant that_, I thought, shaking my head to Riku. I saw it in their eyes.

Riku was silent for a few moments, apparently not knowing what to say. There wasn't anything to say in the first place, since we both knew what the truth was. My friends hated me. My mother was a witch. My life was a lie. And…there was nothing left for me here.

"Steph," Riku said after a few moments, his voice still quiet. "…Is there any place you want to go before we leave?"

I glanced down at the ground, pondering it. Twilight Town was my home, the place where I remembered living my life and being happy sometimes. And there was one place—a beautiful place—that I wanted to see. I nodded slightly to Riku, turning my head to look at him._ Yes._

Riku nodded faintly as well, though he asked another question afterwards. "Just me and you, or should I invite Sora?"

_How am I supposed to answer that when I can't talk? _I thought briefly in frustration. Not being able to express myself sucked, big time. But then, it was like a light bulb turned on in my head. I knew what to say, or how to say it. I turned towards Riku and grabbed the hand that wasn't holding my suitcase, my eyes on his. _You and me. _

He nodded in understanding. "Let's take your bag to the ship," he said as he curled his fingers around my smaller hand. "Then you can lead me to where you want to go."

_Thank you_, I thought in gratitude, forcing a weak smile to try and express my thoughts. Riku smiled slightly as well, but then we started walking, hand in hand.

….

The place that I took Riku wasn't extremely fabulous. It wasn't one of the Seven Wonders of Twilight Town, but I never got tired of coming here. I came here whenever life felt too overwhelming, and it was always fairly quiet, so I could get in some thinking. I knew that I was thinking too much right now, but I wanted to come to this place because of the peace that it offered.

The very top of Sunset Hill was where we stood. I walked over to the end of it while Riku glanced at the sunset in silence, my hands finding the fence that kept people from falling off the edge by mistake. A fall from this height would most certainly mean death. Honestly, it seemed like the kind of place where a person would jump to end it all—to end their life.

But looking up at the sunset, and all the brilliant colors, it didn't just remind you of the approaching night. It reminded you of the beauty of life itself, and it shows you that you made it through the day. If you could survive the darkness of the night, you could make it to tomorrow and have a fresh start.

The dark of night could not conquer you when you had your sight set on the light of a new day.

"Steph," Riku said softly, stepping up right beside me and setting his hands on the fence.

Since I couldn't hum to show I was listening, I turned my head and looked over, seeing that he wasn't looking at me. But I kept my gaze on him anyway, his expression softer than I had seen in a while.

"I know you probably have a lot to say," he said softly. "And I'd love to hear it, but I know you can't talk. But…I want to know something, right now. Will you be okay? Think about it, seriously."

Glancing away, I focused on the ground. Would I be okay? Or would I drown in this despair forever? _Nah,_ I thought._ That's not how I want to live my life. But…I don't see any exit right now, so I don't know for sure if I will be okay. _

A shrug was my answer, my gaze going back to Riku to see him looking at me. His shoulders slumped in relief.

"That's the best answer I can expect right now," he said honestly, understanding what I was thinking. "I just wanted to know that you weren't going to give up. But I think I already knew the answer. You won't."

_You're right, I won't. I can't give up without a fight. It's not who I am. _

"You know what, Steph? I know that the queen brought up me helping you because you were a princess, but that wasn't it at all. Seriously, Sora and I had no clue about who you really were. …I was the one who wanted to help you, because I saw something in you different from other people. You're motivated, strong…and human. You don't try to be perfect, and you don't hate yourself for your insecurities. Do you know how incredible that is?"

_Um…_ I blushed, looking out at the sunset. _I'm just…myself. If you like that, I guess that's good…_ I really didn't know what to say, and at that instant, I was glad I wasn't expected to say anything at all.

"Heh," Riku said, his laugh weak as he looked back to the sunset. "I forget sometimes people don't know how to take my boldness. Sorry about that."

I shook my head, looking over at Riku and smiling weakly despite the blush. _You said it with good intentions._

My friend looked over and caught my weak smile, a genuine smile forming on his lips as well as he held my gaze. He was actually smiling? He didn't do that often.

"You just keep proving how incredible you are," Riku murmured. "You can smile, even at a time like this."

My blush crept back up into my cheeks, not that it ever faded away. I glanced back down to the ground while tightening my grip on the fence. _Riku…_

Riku chucked again, lifting a hand and ruffling his long silver hair. "I know, the boldness again. My bad."

I smiled weakly, lifting a hand and pretending to tuck back my hair. But instead, it acted as a curtain, blocking a part of my blushing cheeks from Riku's sight. He wasn't looking over, and I wasn't turned towards him either, but I still tried to hide my blush. For the first time in a while, I was thinking about something other than my disaster of a life.

"Are you mad at me?"

I blinked at the random question, my smile gone as I looked to Riku. I shook my head, a question lingering in my eyes. _Should I be?_

"Well, you didn't seem pleased with me when I spoke to your friends on your behalf."

Oh, yeah, that.

"Sorry about that. I couldn't just let them tear you down like that."

I nodded slightly in understanding._ It's okay. If anything, you should be mad at me_. Wait, was he mad at me? I had to know.

_Um…_I mouthed, seeing that I already had Riku's attention. How was I supposed to convey this?

_Are you…_ I pointed to him.

_Mad?_ Um…I folded my arms over my chest and looked angry.

_At me?_ I uncrossed my arms and pointed at myself, looking back up and seeing Riku's bewildered expression.

"Am I…going to glare at your friends for your sake again?"

I shook my head.

"Um…Am I going to hunt down your friends and tell them the truth for you?"

_No,_ I thought, motioning with my hands that this had nothing to do with my friends.

"…Am I…"

_Are you…_

"…angry, at you?"

I nodded solemnly.

"No, I'm not," Riku said without hesitation. "I know you didn't mean to snap at me or Sora. You were just frustrated. We understand that. And we're not holding it against you."

I breathed a sigh of relief, tears of that feeling also appearing in my eyes. _Thank you. Thank you so much._

But while I was relieved, Riku immediately felt concern. "What's wrong?" he immediately asked, seeing my tears. He released the fence and faced my completely, while I did the same. But I didn't hold his gaze for long. "Ste—"

His words were cut off when I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his torso, my head finding his shoulder. This should have said enough. I was embracing him because I was so relieved he wasn't mad at me. I needed a friend, and while I did depend on Sora too, I depended on Riku more. A lot more.

After a few moments, he understood what was going on in my head, and he wrapped his arms around me. Even if the air was far from cold, his warmth comforted me. There was just something about being close enough to another human being to feel their warmth that made you feel better. You realized that you weren't alone.

I exhaled a soft breath leaned the side of my head on Riku's shoulder, looking across his torso to the setting sun. This was…alright. The hug itself, and being in Riku's arms was extraordinary, but since the rest of my life wasn't too good, it did ruin a perfect moment.

_I hope that in the future, we can create a moment that really is perfect. _

Riku lowered his head a little and leaned his cheek against the top of my head, his gaze also at the sunset. He didn't speak now, and neither did I (for obvious reasons; I didn't have my stinkin' voice). His silence surprised me, in a way. Earlier, it seemed like he had a lot to say to me. But he seemed at peace now with the silence. The silence spoke much more loudly than words, and this silence wasn't so sad. It wasn't happy, it was just…

Something. But a good something.

Riku lifted one of his hands off my back and set it on the side of my head, his fingers lightly going between the locks of my brunette hair and sitting there. And the lower part of his hand set lightly on my cheek, the skin of his warm hand right against my cheek. Was it ironic I wanted to get chills from something so warm, and not something cold like people normally associated the chills with?

Ironic or not, that was what I felt. And when Riku's thumb lightly went over my upper cheek bone, I shut my eyes to hold back my emotions. _Riku… _My heart leapt out of my chest, a strange sense of serenity washing over me as I was held in the arms of somebody that I cared for deeply. Somebody I cared for…as more than a friend. Much more.

Eventually, I got used to the soothing motion, though that didn't mean that my awareness of it diminished. I didn't think I could ever forget something that was so small, yet so significant. _The stroking of my cheek, the fingers in my hair…the strong arm wrapped around me, and the warmth of your body. That's what I really need right now. What I need right now, is you, Riku._

And so, with the setting of the sun and the warmth of the embrace, I knew that I would not freeze in the coldness of the approaching night. I would survive, and face the morning, my new beginning.

But the real new beginning…that would come after I got over the heartache, and got my voice back. But tomorrow was a beginning nonetheless, and I would face it knowing that I had support from a person who was very important to me.

_I know. I'm not alone. Not anymore. _


	19. Chapter 19: Cure for the Pain

**Hey readers! You already know how much I love reviews, so keep sending those in please. Also check out my other stories; I recently wrote some oneshots for FF: Dissidia and Chuck (Amazing TV show), and if you like my writing, you'll probably like those too. **

**And that's the end of my normal plug. You guys know how it is by now—read my stories, review this one…blah blah blah. It gets old typing it after a while 'cause I feel like I'm not getting through to you guys. Nevertheless, I do have another thing to say. Lately I've been on a roll writing stuff. And if you have any story requests, send them to me and I'll consider writing them. Seriously. (:**

**Okay, I'm done. Here's the newest, longest chapter. Enjoy! (And review :3)**

Chapter Nineteen: Cure For The Pain

I looked over Sora's shoulder as he typed stuff into the computer, though my eyes wandered around the room after that because this place was so interesting. He said this place was called Radiant Garden. This place was really far away from town, though, in some kind of abandoned castle. And this was Ansem's computer, whoever Ansem was.

Sora didn't tell me much about this man, since it didn't really matter too much. Apparently he was a wise man who did studies on many parts of the Darkness, and Sora and Riku thought that maybe Ansem the Wise would have left some research on sorcery on this, his computer.

I hated to admit it, but this was sort of a last resort.

The past few days, we had been going crazy trying to find a cure for the spell put on me. The day we left Twilight Town, we only had half a day to search for something, so we stopped in to see King Mickey. Seeing his kingdom, full of enchanted brooms and his friends Goofy and Donald (who were the strangest duo I had ever seen), made me wonder how he could have scared me before. But I just had to remember that he had to keep a tight fist on order sometimes.

He was quite sorrowful for me, though. He found it awful I was pulled into this situation so deeply, even if I did belong in Cadia. We all went through his library together, but we had no luck. His books were on Darkness in general, not dark magic.

The next day, we split up. Sora went to Twilight Town again to look through another one of Ansem's computers. (I was confused why Riku kept calling him DiZ, but I didn't ask questions. How could I?) And Riku and I went to some place called Traverse Town. Apparently that world had a lot of information that was scattered across the worlds, since it was a place where people of all worlds went after their homes were swallowed by Darkness.

But both searches came up without any information, though. Nothing at all.

We were getting desperate. Even Sora was showing nervousness and uncertainty instead of his usual, light-hearted side. This morning when I woke up, Riku was already gone, and Sora was there. We had stayed in Traverse Town (the three of us) and reconnected after our searching. I thought that maybe we would stay together and search today, but Sora said Riku had other plans. He said he was going to search on his own somewhere and he'd reconnect with us in Radiant Garden.

It was strange how he left without speaking a word to me. When we were together, he was practically attached to me. Whatever he was going to do, he must have had a reason for not speaking to me about it. It was alright though. I trusted him.

Riku

Riku walked through the halls of the world he despised, hands in tight fists by his sides as he stared ahead of him. He despised this place for many reasons, reasons that he intended to always keep to himself and away from Steph. She wouldn't know anything about this world, because he would never tell her. And Sora, blabbermouth that he was, knew better than to mention this.

This was the Enchanted Dominion, home of the witch who ruined his life.

"This place reeks," he said under his breath, referring to the Darkness. He could tell by that same Darkness, though, that Maleficent wasn't home. He and Sora tried for years to kill the witch, but she always slipped away and let her lackeys do the fighting for her. Someday, Riku would be the one to end it and bring her to justice. He deserved to have the final blow.

He would only come to a place so rotten for people he cared about, and today, that person was Steph. Yes, she was that important to him, even if he hadn't known her for long. He knew from the start that she was different, but he hadn't had a clue that he would feel so attracted to her.

It hurt him so bad to see what was going on with her. Everything she knew was a lie for the most part. But he was determined not to be a lie as well. He was going to be true and honest with her, either as a friend or as something more. But he wouldn't get ahead of himself. Right now, she needed him to just support her through this, not make a move on her. He understood and accepted that. He had all the patience in the world when it came to her.

Riku looked over when he walked into a more open room and saw Maleficent's pesky bird. _Harmless,_ he thought, continuing forward towards his destination. Maleficent was a sorceress who was skilled in dark magic. If anyone would have a remedy to Steph's spell, she would.

Every time Riku thought about how much he hated this place, he was reminded of his motivation for being here. Steph's beautiful face popped into his face, her soft blue eyes staring right into his and a vulnerable expression written all across her delicate face. He saw her strong side and her weak side, but most of all, he saw_ her_. She wasn't who she was because of her weakness or her strength. To him, she was beautiful inside and out, and no matter what emotion was expressed on her face, he would find her gorgeous.

Riku entered Maleficent's library and saw a ton of books everywhere, this place reminding him of the library in Radiant Garden's castle. He felt hope rise up within him at that moment, knowing he could find a cure for her here.

"What do you look so excited about, child?"

The teen's expression changed immediately, his Keyblade appearing in his grasp as the witch also appeared. "Maleficent."

"Ah, but of course," the Mistress of all evil responded with a smile, standing several yards in front of the teen who stood in his battle stance. "Who else would you expect in this castle? Certainly not a Keyblader like yourself."

Riku only glared at the witch he despised.

"What business brings you here, child?" Maleficent asked at Riku's silence. "Come crawling back to the Darkness?"

"As if," Riku spat.

"Still bitter, hm."

"Of your Darkness, yes, I am," Riku said, his voice expressing nothing but confidence. "But my own I'm confident in."

"So you say," Maleficent responded soothingly, walking over to a nearby bookshelf. She completely ignored Riku's threatening nature and acted calm and confident herself. She knew why Riku was here, because she knew everything. How could she not when she had so much control, influence, and power with the Darkness?

"The Darkness always lures a person back into it, no matter how they try to escape," the witch continued, fingering a book.

"There's an exception to everything."

"Perhaps," she agreed. "But there are no exceptions when it comes to dark magic. Once a person has a spell on them, there is no way for them to conquer it on their own." Maleficent listened to Riku's startled grunt, also seeing him move out of his stance at her words. He wondered how she knew what she knew.

"Child," Maleficent said with a single, wicked laugh, her gaze going back over to him. "Please. How could you possibly think I'd be that ignorant to you? My pet…I will always watch you, and I will always wait for you to come crawling back to me for the power you desire."

"Shut up, witch," Maleficent's "pet" growled in fury.

"Ah, don't dwell on it too much now, though," the witch continued with indifference. "Until that time comes, I will not stand in your way. Finish your business here, then go to the girl you cherish and remove the spell. She'll need your assistance to escape this tragic bind she's in."

Riku stared at the witch for a few moments, trying to figure out her intentions. She couldn't seriously be wishing him well right now. He refused to believe that was the case for the person who deceived him so long ago. She fooled him into seeing Sora as the enemy and ultimately accepting the Darkness into his heart. He was screwed up in a lot of ways because of her, and he'd never forgive her for her trickery.

"What's in this for you?" he finally asked.

"What, can't I enjoy seeing my former student do something kind for another human being? It's a complete transformation from the dark state you were in a few years ago, if I don't say so myself."

Riku wisely waited out her lies for the truth.

"My oh my, but that harsh stare is quite dark," Maleficent said, her tone changing from silky-smooth to something more conniving. "As long as dark traits like that remain, there is a chance you will fall back into the Darkness. Now is not that time, but someday, you will return to me, child. Just wait and see."

"Shut up!" Riku hollered in anger, his voice loud instead of calm like before. "I'm done with you!"

"But you are not," Maleficent coaxed calmly. "You will always be tied to me, and always tied to the Darkness. Remember that." She started laughing wickedly, wisely disappearing in green flames before Riku could take out his anger on her. She disappeared from the area and left Riku alone to his own thoughts and his own dilemma.

After a moment of glaring at where the witch stood, Riku knew that he had to get over his own issues and deal with those of another.

"…Steph," Riku murmured, looking down at the ground for a moment_. You're the reason I'm here. You're the reason I won't pursue my worst enemy._ He stepped forward and went to the bookshelf, starting to pick through the books for one that had the information he needed.

_I won't fail you. _

Steph

Riku didn't come back like he promised to. He to Sora that he would come back the same day he left, around nighttime. But he didn't come back that night, or the one following that. I wrote out a message for Sora telling him to go look for Riku, but he said Riku could take care of himself and he was fine. It was hard to argue back without a voice, so Sora won.

There was work to be done in Radiant Garden anyway. After taking a day to search the computer, the next day we went to a castle in Radiant Garden and searched the library there. That took a whole day as well, and on our third day of searching for an answer to my curse, we ended up empty handed. Of course we did. We would never find a cure, would we?

Sora and I went back to Radiant Garden, and I was especially dejected. I wanted to run away from this situation for the millionth time, but I knew there was no place to run to. None at all. The only place I could think of running to was Riku's arms, but I couldn't do that right now. Sora still wouldn't tell me where he went.

Regardless, he did say that Riku would still come back to Radiant Garden to look for us. But this place wasn't exactly home to either of us. Sora's friend Leon let us stay in a vacant house for the night last night, and we could do it again, but Sora had a better idea.

He left a message with quite a few friends—Leon, Cloud, Yuffie, Merlin…and a few more I can't remember. And then we went to a place that he at least could call home, a place where we would wait for Riku's return.

We went to Destiny Islands.

When I got there, I expected that Sora would leave me with Kairi again. But he didn't. He said that since Kairi didn't have a guest bedroom in her house for me, he knew of another place where I could sleep and be comfortable. He explained this to me as we walked towards our destination, and since I didn't know this world well, I didn't realize where we were going until the house was right in front of us.

It was Riku's.

"C'mon, Steph," Sora said, starting up the path to the house. Hesitant, I bit my lip, but I did follow him. Why did he bring me to Riku's house? He wasn't here, so I wouldn't feel THAT comfortable.

That was what I thought, anyway, until Riku's mom opened the door and saw the two of us. _"You'll always have a mother here, loving you."_ That was what she had said to me. I didn't know how Sora found out that I could be close to her, but it didn't matter. I was here.

"Sora. Steph," Bethany said in surprise. "What're you two doing here? Where's Riku?"

"He's doing some scouting on his own," Sora said calmly, as if he was expecting her to ask about her son. "He'll meet us here when he's done."

The mom nodded, stepping aside. "Would you two like to come in?" she asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Sora and I both stepped inside, and I gave her a weak smile and a nod in greeting. I hoped she wasn't offended that I didn't speak yet. She didn't seem to sense that something was wrong with me, since she smiled and nodded at me in return before I passed by her. The three of us went to the living room, Sora and I standing by the couch while Bethany stood a few feet away.

"You two just sit here and wait," she said with a warm smile. "I'll go make some tea." Before we could protest, she left the room.

Silence hung between Sora and I, but not for long. "I'm gonna go help," he murmured to me, though I was smart enough to have an idea of what was really going on. He was going to tell her what happened to me.

Regardless, I nodded and gave Sora permission to go as I sat down on the couch by myself. After folding my hands in my lap, I stared down at them and listened to the murmured conversation in the kitchen. It wasn't a conversation per se, since Sora was doing all the talking, but oh well. I didn't understand what he was saying, but I knew he was talking about me. And maybe he told her where Riku went, too. I didn't know.

I stared down at my hands still, wondering about Riku now. Where was he? Why did he leave without telling me where he was going? _I mean…I guess he doesn't have to tell me everything… _But we had had a fairly intimate moment on Sunset Hill, when he held me in his arms. And he had been so close to me after that until he ran off. What was going on?

Bethany set a mug of tea on the small table in front of me, the soft clattering bringing me out of her thoughts. Automatically, my eyes went up to her. I hadn't even heard her come in.

"Come here, honey," she said, opening her arms to me even while I was still sitting.

I obeyed without hesitation, pushing myself up from my spot without noticing Sora standing in the doorway. Before I could do anything else, Bethany wrapped her arms around me in a secure, gentle embrace. One that only a loving mother could provide.

I wrapped my arms around her as well, my head hanging over her shoulder and my lower lip trembling. A hug only a real mother could provide. I don't have one… I squeezed my eyes shut, my tears appearing for the first time in days. Ugh, why do you always have to make me cry?

"Crying cleanses the soul, remember?" Riku's mom reminded me gently, probably bringing up crying because of my ragged breathing. "Let it out, sweetheart. It's okay."

I didn't have a choice in the matter, my tears already on call. They started flowing down my cheeks smoothly, though I didn't make a sound with the silent sobs. The only thing I occasionally heard was Riku's mom, shushing me gently.

There weren't words to say right now. Riku had been quiet the past few days for that same reason. I couldn't carry a conversation well, and Riku was naturally quiet. And I didn't know his mom well, and she didn't know me. She probably didn't know what to say to comfort me. Or maybe she knew that no words could comfort me. This embrace hurt in a lot of ways, though, because it reminded me of my own mother. But…it helped somehow, too, to be loved by another mom. It was very bittersweet.

After a while, Bethany gently pulled away, looking at my tear stained face. "I want you to go upstairs, get cleaned up, and then sleep in Riku's bed, okay?"

_Sleep?_ I glanced out the window, seeing it was dark. I forgot that we arrived pretty late in the day.

"You need food or anything before you go?" Bethany asked, running her hands over my shoulders in a soothing way. I shook my head. I wasn't hungry.

"Alright," she said with a small nod. "Head on upstairs. And if you need anything, track me down, okay Sweetie?"

I nodded, smiling weakly. I received a nod and a smile from her in return, the woman also squeezing my shoulders before releasing me and motioning for me to go.

I did just that, stepping past her and going to the stairs. I had never been upstairs before, but surely I could find the bathroom and then Riku's bedroom. The house wasn't that large, and even if it was, I was sure I had permission to explore. I was now a guest here, not that I even got to protest that.

But it was okay. I wanted to be here rather than Kairi's for some reason. I couldn't explain it, but it a strange way, it felt like this was where I belonged. Did it concern Riku? Maybe. There were a lot of feelings I had concerning him that I stopped trying to put into words, just because it was impossible for me to do such a thing.

It didn't take long for me to find the bathroom and hop in the shower, the warmth refreshing in so many ways. When was the last time I had the luxury of getting a shower? It had been far too long, so I took a very long shower and used up a lot of hot water. Hopefully nobody else would need any warm water later that night.

When I was done with it, I dressed in the same clothes I had been wearing for days before I tracked down Riku's bedroom. When I walked in and turned on the light, though, I was surprised. There was my suitcase sitting on the bed, all my stuff I had packed up from Twilight Town. I forgot I even had that. I hadn't brought it in, so Sora must have done it earlier. I briefly wondered where he was, but then I realized he probably went home. It was late, after all.

I shut the bedroom door behind me softly and went over to the suitcase, opening it and pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a tank-top to sleep in. Of course I had no problems getting out of my dirty clothes, feeling clean again once I was in something new.

I moved the suitcase off the bed and set it on the ground before I collapsed on the furniture, a sigh leaving me as my face was in Riku's pillow. I didn't realize just how exhausted I was until I was lying down, and even if being on my stomach was uncomfortable for me, I stayed there. I fell asleep on top of the covers within a few minutes of lying down, the blackness of unconsciousness surrounding me.

*…*…*…*...*

It was a few hours before I started waking up to a noise I heard coming from downstairs. Unfortunately for me, I was a pretty light sleeper. I started coming to, trying to decipher what it was that I heard downstairs. People were talking—a man and a female. The female was obviously Bethany, but the other voice was hard for me to place. Well, until I heard him call her "mom".

It was Riku. He was back.

That woke me up more quickly, though I didn't move because my body was too tired to comply with my desires. And where was I going to move to anyway?

I heard Riku coming up the stairs softly before he arrived outside his own bedroom. The door creaked a little when it was being opened, though Riku was silent other than that. It didn't really matter since I was awake anyway. Because of that, I was able to tune into his very quiet steps and hear him kneel down right by the bed, the teen gazing at me as I "slept".

_Should I let him know I'm awake?_

"Steph?" Riku murmured softly. "You awake?"

I nodded slightly against the pillow without thinking about it, realizing he could probably tell somehow I was awake. I didn't really care as I turned my head on my pillow to face him, my eyes slowly opening and finding the bright room. I forgot to turn off the lights.

"Hey," he greeted softly. "Sorry I'm late."

Again, I nodded faintly in recognition to what he said, though I did move to sit up on the bed. Riku looked like he wanted to have a conversation, so I could wake up and get over my grogginess more quickly if I wasn't lying down. Whatever this was, it seemed important.

"You awake enough to talk—er, hear what I found?"

I nodded, not to the first part, to the second. I obviously still couldn't talk, which was why Riku changed his wording. I rubbed my eyes and sat with my legs hanging off the side of the bed, feet on the ground. Just as I wondered if Riku was going to stay kneeling, he moved, sitting beside me on the bed while keeping his gaze on me. I knew that was the case because I kept my eyes on him as well.

He exhaled a breath, as if preparing himself to spill the news. "I went to a world where there were a lot of books on dark magic and thought I found something, but I stopped into Radiant Garden a few hours ago to check up on it. One of Sora's friends there is an expert in white magic. Did you meet Aerith?"

_Aerith?_ I nodded faintly, recalling the quiet girl. Yes, I met her. What did that have to do with anything?

"I had her take a look at some books and spells I found, just to make sure they were legitimate. …And they weren't."

I looked away, not knowing what to do to respond to that. Riku's search turned up empty too, for all the work that he did. But at least he stopped in at Radiant Garden so he didn't cast a bogus spell on me. It probably would have had bad consequences. I just didn't know how bad. Riku did, and he wouldn't say. He wouldn't admit that Maleficent had been prepared to let him read one of the spells that would actually kill me. That was the knowledge he found out from Aerith and kept to himself.

"…She did have one spell that might fix everything, though," Riku said softly after a few moments, his head turning to look at me. And I automatically looked back at him, feeling hopefully. He found something after all? Then we had to try it!

"I had thought that I would need a dark spell to try and break through Isabella's, but Aerith thought there was another antidote that's completely different…"

_Okay…?_

"…."

_Why is he stalling? Is it bad?_

"She said that the most powerful thing in the world could break the spell. …True love's kiss."

My eyes widened, and my question from just a second ago was answered. Okay, now I could understand why Riku was stalling. True love's kiss…That was something just in fairytales, wasn't it? Apparently not, since Riku was taking it seriously. Or was it just because we were so desperate for a cure?

"…I'll take you wherever you want to go to find the person who can set this right," he said, standing up from the bed and shifting to look down at me. "There had to have been someone in Twilight Town, right?"

_I loved somebody in Twilight Town?_ I thought, realizing that was what Riku was implying. But no, that wasn't right. John had a crush on me, but I didn't return the feelings. And even if I did, they wouldn't be nearly as strong as what I was feeling for somebody else.

In response to Riku's question, I shook my head, my eyes on his. _There's nobody in Twilight Town._

Riku didn't know what to make of that. "Nobody, anywhere?"

_No…I think there is someone…And he's right here._ I reached up and gently grabbed Riku's hand by his side, tugging on it a little bit to get my point across. _I think…It might be you, Riku._

Riku's expression conveyed confusion and uncertainty for a second, but he wasn't exactly slow, so he came up with what I was trying to say quickly. "…Me?" he said softly, giving into my gentle tug and sitting back down on the bed beside me.

The only thing I could do was nod a little, my eyes still on Riku's aqua ones. _Yes, you_. I never had such strong feelings for somebody before, and while it seemed too illogical to be in love with somebody when I hardly even knew them…That didn't change the feelings I had. I really liked him, and if anybody would be my true love…Right now, it looked like it would be him.

And besides, I knew from a while ago that Riku had feelings for me too. He told Sora and Kairi that at the bonfire, and I had been listening from Kairi's bedroom. Not that that made me have feelings for Riku in return or anything; that came before I even knew he returned the sentiment. I ignored it at first because it was illogical, but a lot of things in my life were that way right now. Why couldn't my feelings be the same?

"Steph…" Riku said softly, closing his hand around mine as it sat on the bed between us. I lifted my gaze back up to his face, seeing the softer side of him that I had seen a lot lately. His eyes stared into mine and I stared right back, not knowing how he would respond to what I just silently said. "…I have permission to…?"

I couldn't help but smile softly at his question, that also being my response. _Yes, you have permission to kiss me. _Even if it didn't work…We had to try it. I didn't know what would be the case if it did work though. In a way, I hoped I would find out. _Either I get my voice back and find out Riku and I have true love or I stay cursed and still have a choice with who I want to marry…_Both situations had pros and cons. But I was pulling for one more than the other.

Riku lifted his hand that wasn't in mine, gently setting it on my cheek. His fingers lightly wove their way into my hair, much like they had the day at Sunset Hill in Twilight Town.

His eyes stayed on mine as he inched closer and closer, and I forgot to breathe at the look in his eyes. When he was just an inch away, his eyes fell shut, and mine did the same as our lips connected.

My heart skipped at beat at Riku's gentle kiss, and as if I wasn't breathless enough from forgetting to breathe a minute ago, his kiss left me even worse off now.

But I was better—SO much better, in other ways. I lifted my free hand and set it on his shoulder, lightly gripping it as he also tightened his grip on his hand around mine. We held our pose for a few moments before he gently pulled back from the kiss, though his hand didn't leave my cheek.

I opened my eyes and exhaled a breath, my bright blue eyes on his aqua ones. So much was swelling inside those gorgeous aqua eyes…care was one of the top emotions. But worry was another, because he didn't know if this was really true love's kiss or just something else. Was this what it took to break the spell?

I took in another breath and then let it out, speaking when I exhaled.

"Riku."


	20. Chapter 20: Real Life Fairytale

Chapter Twenty: Real Life Fairytale

_One Week Later_

"Ouch."

"Oo, I'm so sorry, Your Majesty," the maid servant said, pulling the curling iron away from my hair after she accidently burned me. "I'm afraid it's been too long since I was able to do hair like this."

I smiled at her, nodding in understanding. "It's alright," I assured her.

My smile brought one out of her, and she continued to curl my hair.

I was currently sitting in front of an elegant mirror in my bedroom, having my hair done for a special ceremony that was occurring that day. I was starting to get used to this bedroom, this castle, and this kingdom in general, since it became my home one week ago. After Riku helped me regain my voice, we only spent the night in Destiny Islands before he and Sora returned me to the kingdom of Cadia.

I remember that day like it was yesterday.

*…*…*...*…*…*

_Riku held my hand as we were allowed into the castle by the guards who were expecting our return. Sora trailed a few feet behind to give us space, even if there was nothing that we would really say or do out in public. Riku and I decided to keep our kiss a secret from my mother for now. We didn't have an extremely good reason for it, but we figured she would have enough on her plate with reestablishing her rule after the darkness of King Erol was gone. _

"_She's probably going to be too busy to see me now, you know," I said softly to Riku._

"_Of course she's going to have time to see you, Steph. You're her daughter."_

_I didn't bother responding. How could I believe that a stranger could love me so much? I may have been her daughter by blood, but I hardly knew her, and she hardly knew me. She was probably mad at me for running off anyway. Those were the thoughts that I had because of my upbringing with a mother who despised me. _

"_Don't look so worried," Riku advised quietly. "Your mother loves you."_

"_How do you know?" I couldn't help but ask._

"_I heard it in her voice last time we were here."_

_I smiled weakly and shook my head. _Of course you would come up with some type of empirical evidence, Riku. I should have expected that.

_The two guards standing in front of my mother's room looked at me with awed expressions as Riku, Sora and I approached. All the guards had looked at me that way as I came in, and if I wasn't mistaken, a few people were following behind me and my friends because they wanted to see their lost princess. _

"_You mind?" Riku asked one of the guards softly, motioning to the door. _

"_Oh, uh, yes sir." _

_The guards stepped to the side and opened the doors for us. _

"_Thank you," I said with a small nod._

_The flabbergasted guards nodded to me, the princess, as I walked through the doors with my two other friends. _

_The room was a lovely room, but all the rooms in the castle were nice after its transformation. The castle was no longer a dungeon. And it wasn't dark and gloomy like a medieval castle. It was modern and classy and very livable. I had to observe that, since Cadia was going to me future home. Riku's mother invited me to stay on Destiny Islands, but I couldn't live there. I was a princess who now belonged in her own kingdom. Cadia. _

_I looked around the walls and saw elegant pictures and nature shots framed on the peach pastel walls, designs also etched into the painting. This room was an office and not a bedroom, but looking off to the side, I saw a room that led to the bedroom. _

"_Your highness?" Riku called. She was in this room? I followed his gaze and saw what I missed before: the queen sitting at a desk in the other side of the room, signing a document with an advisor right by her side. She stopped in the middle of her signature, though, when she saw the three of us. And the attendant had a shell-shocked expression as well. _

"_Some privacy, please," Queen Andrea whispered to her advisor. _

_The man nodded solemnly and started forward, bowing his head faintly to me as he walked past me and my friends and exited the room. I hardly noticed that, considering that my gaze was stuck on the queen who rose from her seat and started over towards us. I didn't know what to think of the expression on her face; it portrayed so many emotions I couldn't pick out what the feelings were._

_She stopped in front of me and Riku finally released my hand. I stared at her and she stared back for a few moments. But she did look to Riku and Sora briefly, who nodded faintly in reassurance. Everything was okay._

_That was all she needed to know before she wrapped her arms around me and held me close to her, her hand finding the back of my head. Her embrace…I found myself comparing it to the one that Riku's mom gave me. It was an embrace that only a mother could give—an embrace that could comfort, give strength, and love._

_I found myself getting teary because of the last attribute of her embrace. Love. She __**loved **__me. She loved the daughter who she never got to know, and along with that love, I started understanding that everything would be okay._

"_It's all okay now," Queen Andrea whispered in my ear, though she could have just been speaking to herself. Her voice was teary enough that I realized she was already crying, and that gave me permission to release my tears as well. I embraced her back and cried softly while she ran her hand over my hair. _

"_I never stopped loving you, not once. I'm not going to change that now. I'm going to help you feel at home here and get the 'happily ever after' every princess should have. I promise."_

_*…*…*…*_

The Queen—no, my **mother**—kept her promise from that day. It had only been a week since then, but when she wasn't busy ruling her kingdom, she was with me. She showed me all around the castle instead of having a servant do it, she took an interest in getting to know me, and she accepted me for who I was. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Now, she_ did_ have her servants do a lot when she couldn't. She didn't have much spare time now, so she helped me make friends with the servants. I knew that they would do anything for me out of respect and love for my mother; she was a great queen. She was so kind to them and loving and just…Everything I could ever want as a daughter _and _as a resident of Cadia.

"Steph?" A familiar voice called from the doorway. I turned my head while the servant took the curling iron out of my hair, careful not to burn me this time. My mother smiled weakly at me as she stood in the doorway in her formal gown, a crown on her head. "I'm sorry, but do you mind if I take Susana away from you? I need an extra hand with the preparations."

I shook my head. "No, I don't mind," I said with a small smile. I had said that I could do my own hair in the first place. Having somebody else do it was something I would definitely have to get used to.

"Thanks." Queen Andrea motioned for Susana to go with her, and they both disappeared out of the room to handle some last minute preparations for today's ceremony. I was thankful that it wasn't about me, though the crowd would see me in person for the first time since my return. This was about showing Riku and Sora honor for their services. They were going to be knighted by my mother. I was so excited to see it, because they deserved to be recognized for everything they went through for my sake. It was the least I could do for them.

But honor wasn't all that I wanted for my two friends. There was something else that I wanted to ask of them but didn't get the chance to; The Queen also took care of that without me asking, or giving me the chance to do it myself. She invited both of them to stay in the castle and live here as my royal protectors. Sora said no, which was understandable since he had Kairi.

However, Riku said yes.

"Steph? You coming?"

_Speak of the devil_, I thought with a small smile, shifting my gaze to the door of my bedroom to see a young man dressed in a suit and a tie. I never thought he could look so handsome, but of course, I didn't mind being proven wrong. I was also surprised he said he would stay, but I was so glad he did. He was going to be the head of my security and have a room connected to the large portion of the castle I lived in. We would still be together.

"Yeah, I'm coming, Riku." I said, glancing at the mirror. Susana had just gotten done with my hair, so I didn't have to worry about that after all. I turned off the curling iron and looked back to the man I kissed a week ago.

Riku smiled at me from the door, bringing his shoulder off the frame as he sauntered over to me. "You're cutting it pretty close, you know," he stated softly, though in good nature.

Rolling my eyes, I smiled faintly at him. "Me? You're the one who actually has to do something in this ceremony."

"It's nothing," he said with a slight smirk and stopped by me. "Nobody'll be paying attention to me anyway. They'll be looking at you, princess."

_I certainly hope not. _I was too shy to enjoy that kind of attention. "This ceremony's about you and Sora, not me."

"Doesn't matter. You're nicer to look at than Sora and I are. Even if I'm a stud."

"Riku!" I scolded, lifting a hand and lightly whacking his arm with my hand. He was so cocky; he needed just a bit more humility. But of course, I also knew that he was just acting this way to make me laugh like he was doing now. He was unaffected by my whack and chuckling, and hearing his soft laughter, I couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Chill, Steph, I'm just kidding."

"I know, goof."

"Hmph." Riku smirked at the name, stepping forward and setting a hand on my shoulder that was bare because of the strapless, chocolate brown dress I wore. "But you know I'm not kidding when I say how gorgeous you look in that dress."

Of course I blushed at the comment, looking away as I mumbled my thanks. I had to admit…I felt like a princess in this dress, even if it wasn't the stereotypical dress that poofed at the bottom. It was fairly plain, just solid brown and down to the floor. Some of the material was pulled across my stomach, and I think that simple elegance was what made me feel special. And the small crown on my head also reminded me that I was royalty.

"…Yeah, well, you're not looking too bad yourself," I said in recovery with a shy smile.

"Well duh. I'm a stud, remember?"

_Whack._

"Okay, okay, enough with the hitting!" Riku laughed.

"Hey, Riku, we gotta go!" Sora suddenly called, appearing in the doorway. He was dressed in a black suit and a blue shirt, his tie done so nicely I almost questioned if he did it or had somebody else do it.

"Alright, let's go. See you in the church, Steph."

"Yeah, see ya," I said with a smile, lifting my hand and waving to Riku and Sora as they both headed out of the room. They both headed out and left me by myself again, in the elegant room that was my bedroom. I glanced around at it again and saw its formal beauty. It was definitely a room designed for a princess.

My eyes did land on a clock in my room when I scanned it, and when I saw the time, my eyes widened. "Crap!" I lifted my dress and started leaving the room at a quick walk, careful not to trip in the heels. They were comfortable and practical, but that didn't mean I couldn't be a klutz and trip in them. Today, though, I couldn't afford to trip up and mess up. The kingdom was seeing me for the first time in over eleven years…I had to make a good impression.

_It's time._

*…*…*…*…*…*

I stood at the front of the church as the ceremony began, a priest giving a greeting to the congregation that had gathered. This wasn't really a religious ceremony, but apparently the priest was in charge of many ceremonies in this world, including this traditional one. He would give his greeting, and then my mother would do her job.

"For their honorable, brave, selfless service to this kingdom, Her Majesty Queen Andrea wishes to bestow the honor of knighthood upon the two young men who restored peace in this kingdom and returned our beloved princess to us." The middle-aged man turned and smiled to me, and to my mother, who was standing a few feet forward and to the side of me.

I could only smile politely to the priest while feeling everyone's gaze on me, and I held back the urge to blush at how they stared at me. What I couldn't hold back, though, was my urge to see how the audience was looking at me. It wasn't with bitterness, was it? I mean, I just returned to the kingdom after being away eleven years, and I was a princess who nothing about my people. Did they hate me for coming back and being in this position of power?

I glanced over the crowd and found most of their eyes on me, but they weren't harsh stares like I half expected. A lot of them were smiling, and some actually looked like they would cry from joy! I could hardly believe it. _This…really is my home._

"May I present Riku and Sora of Destiny Islands, heroes of Cadia and saviors of all the worlds."

The crowd politely applauded at the priest's words, all of them turning their heads and looking down the aisle at the two heroes who were walking towards the altar. I felt thankful that their gazes were no longer on me, but Riku's gaze was lingering on me. It was obvious to me he was fighting the urge to make a face at me, but he understood how important this ceremony was to the people…and to me.

This was going to be the beginning of something big.

Riku and Sora both knelt down in front of where the queen stood, on one knee with their heads lowered. She took one small step forward and lifted the sword that she had in her hands, first placing it on Sora's shoulder as she spoke the ritualistic words.

"I knight thee, Sora, hero of the Realm of Light and savior of Cadia. You will forever have the thanks of the kingdom of Cadia for defeating the evil that has haunted us here for so long, and for assisting in the return of our princess."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Sora murmured. Was he even supposed to speak then? It hardly made a difference, since the crowd obviously didn't hear him. Queen Andrea smiled faintly at the young man and took a step over to the side, placing the blade on Riku's shoulder.

"I knight thee, Riku, hero of the Realm of Light and savior of Cadia. We are forever indebted to you for your diligent efforts in ending the reign of evil, and for doing whatever was necessary to protect the princess."

Riku was silent. I could practically read his mind, and that was what almost made me start blushing again. _I didn't do anything to just protect a princess. I did it to protect a friend. _

"Please rise, Knights of Cadia."

The two Keybladers rose from their spots, facing the queen and giving her small smiles of appreciation. However, she was not done with the ceremony just yet.

"Cadia, I ask of you, please join me in thanking those who returned peace to our land, and gave us hope for the future."

Queen Andrea shocked the crowd by handing off the sword to the priest standing a few feet away. She lifted her dress ever so slightly, and kneeling down in a small, elegant bow. A few gasps rose from the crowd at their queen showing such humility, but the people quickly followed suit.

And so did I. I lowered my head and knelt down without messing up my dress while Riku and Sora looked around at the crowd in surprise. They clearly hadn't expected this kind of honor, even if this ceremony was about somehow repaying them for what they did. Now, they had the respect of the kingdom, honor, and privilege to come back whenever they wanted.

One of them, though, wouldn't be leaving. I couldn't ever forget that.

I lifted my head and looked to that person, seeing the queen and the crowd all rise to their feet after their honor was shown. I did the same and looked at Riku, sneaking a wink to him. I couldn't get over that he chose to stay with me over living with his two best friends. He tried not to make a big deal out of it, though, saying that this was what he felt called to do.

It probably helped that we shared true love's kiss. That was what we both had to believe, because that miracle was what made me get my voice back. And it was what was keeping Riku by my side, to support me in my new life as a princess and in a far away land I had never been in before.

The crowd started cheering for the Keybladers, and even as the noise continued, Riku turned his head and locked his eyes with mine. And by the look in his eyes, I knew that we were both thinking the same thing.

_This is only the beginning. _

***…*…*…*…*…***

**Author's notes: Well guys, hope you all enjoyed the story! Thanks for sticking with it. And even though this story has come to an end, Steph and Riku's adventures obviously aren't over. That's why I'll be having a sequel to the story! It's going to be called "Chasing Shadows at Midnight", and I expect it to come out by the end of the summer. I'm excited to say I've already started writing it. (: So, if you like this story, put me on your fancy "Author Alert" list, and then you'll know when the sequel comes out. (: **

**Have a great summer, readers, and if you have any recommendations for future stories or adventures for Steph and Riku, feel free to message me. Or if you have requests for other oneshots, you can message me as well. Thanks again for reading my story, guys. Hope to see you all following (and reviewing =3) the sequel!**


	21. Author's Note

**Author's note: Hey guys, Peanut here. (: I just thought of this the other day after posting a new story: Those of you who subscribed to this story but not to me won't know that Chasing Shadows at Midnight (the sequel to this story) is now published unless you go searching for it. And I don't believe that many of you have searched for it, judging by the lack of reviews and views. So, I thought to myself: "Gee Peanut, why don't you post a note on this story so all your wonderful fans know about the new story?" And then I thought, "Gee, what a wonderful idea! I'll do just that!" **

**So, guess what readers? That's what I'm doing. xP Chasing Shadows at Midnight was published earlier this week, and like this story, I'm planning on updating every two or three weeks. If there's going to be any kind of delay, I'll be sure to tell you. **

**On another note, some of you may notice that while this story is rated K+, Chasing Shadows at Midnight is rated T. That isn't because of cursing or gory violence or anything like that. The story is just darker and I think that it dives deeper than this story does in a lot of ways. Therefore, I upped the rating to emphasize the point that I want readers who are able to think deeply and really take in the story for all its worth. I can promise you that it will NEVER go up to an M rating; that's not my style. (:**

**I believe that's all I have to say. As always, check out my page to see my other stories and feel free to drop of requests; maybe I'll do them if I have inspiration.**

**Stay beautiful, my fans. (:**

**Love,**

**Peanut**


End file.
